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
Merkley and Wyden Announce Key Oregon Wins for Rural Oregon in Senate Appropriations Bill
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which Merkley sits, has passed an Interior Appropriations bill including key provisions that will help Oregon’s rural communities. These include funding for the Klamath basin, wildfire prevention, sage grouse habitat improvements and the Payments
Merkley and Wyden Announce Key Oregon Wins to Keep Oregon Communities Safe
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which Merkley sits, has passed an Interior Appropriations bill including key provisions to keep Oregon communities safe with clean drinking water and to prepare for the possibility of a large scale Cascadia earthquake.
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call on Federal Agencies to Protect Communities from Dangers of Volatile Crude Oil
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined a group of ten senators today to urge the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to set an interim standard for volatility of crude oil under the DOT’s authority to issue emergency orders.
Merkley Statement on NDAA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after voting no on the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA): “As someone who worked inside the Pentagon, I know how important it is to give the strongest backing to our men and women in uniform and to plan
Senate Approves Wyden, Merkley Bill to Rename Clinic for War Hero Loren Kaufman
Washington, D.C. – A bill co-sponsored by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley to designate the veterans community-based outpatient clinic in The Dalles the Loren R. Kaufman Memorial Veterans’ Clinic passed the Senate today. The Oregon senators said their bill provides long-overdue recognition to a local Army soldier who served with
Senate Recognizes Hemp History Week
Washington, D.C. – During “Hemp History Week,” the Senate today passed a bipartisan resolution recognizing the important role industrial hemp could play in boosting the agricultural industry and economy of the United States. The Hemp History Week resolution passed the Senate by a unanimous voice vote today. Sens. Ron Wyden,
English 
Spanish