Risch, Merkley Introduce Bill to Remove Roadblocks for Youth Corps Public Lands Projects
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation to reduce federal cost-sharing requirements for public lands projects performed by qualified youth or conservation corps from 25% to 10%. “Current cost-sharing requirements prevent youth conservation corps from carrying out important public lands projects,” said Risch. “My bill reduces this
Merkley, Kaine Launch Effort to Protect and Strengthen Federal Student Loan Repayment Options
Washington, D.C. – With affordable student loan repayment options at risk under the Trump Administration, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Virginia’s U.S. Senator Tim Kaine today led their colleagues to launch a new effort to protect and expand federal student loan repayment programs. The Savings Opportunity and Affordable Repayment (SOAR)
Bynum and Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect the Deschutes River
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Deschutes River Conservancy Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bill reauthorizes the Deschutes River Conservancy’s (DRC) eligibility to receive federal funding for water quality improvement initiatives and conservation efforts. Since its founding in 1996, the DRC and
Cummings, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect Workers from Predatory Debt Collectors
Washington, DC (July 7, 2016)—Today, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Wage and Garnishment Equity Act of 2016 (WAGE Act) to protect workers from losing their entire paychecks to wage and bank garnishments. “Predatory debt
Merkley Decries Senate Vote on Anti-Consumer GMO Labeling Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Senate voted to close debate on legislation that would prohibit states from requiring GMO labeling and instead institute weak federal requirements that would make it virtually impossible for ordinary consumers to access information about genetically modified ingredients
Wyden, Merkley Join Effort to Reduce Food Waste
Washington, D.C. – In response to the staggering amount of food wasted in the United States every year, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Senators Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Cory Booker, D-N.J., to introduce comprehensive legislation to reduce food waste in stores and restaurants,
Merkley Statement on Puerto Rico
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after voting against S.2328, the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA): “Puerto Rico faces a crisis, and needs support from Congress to get on its feet. But the 3.5 million Americans living there shouldn’t have to
Bipartisan Merkley-Kirk Climate Amendment Passes Senate Committee
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) announced today that the Senate Appropriations Committee passed an amendment to the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that would fund the Green Climate Fund, an essential part of the international climate agreement reached in Paris last fall. The
Members of Congress Urge Court to Recognize Protections for LGBT Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – 128 Members of Congress, led by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI), have filed an amicus brief in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Christiansen v. Omnicom Group, Inc., arguing that workplace discrimination on the basis
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