Interior Cuts in Trump Administration’s “Skinny” Budget to Leave Lasting Scars on Public Lands, Tribal Nations, and Human Health
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee on the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the below statement following the release of President Trump’s ‘skinny’ budget for Fiscal Year 2026. “This budget is exactly what we expected from this administration: abandoning critical programs, slashing essential government services,
Merkley Announces Central Oregon Town Halls
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced today he will hold three town halls for Oregonians in Jefferson, Crook, and Deschutes counties on Saturday, May 10. Merkley will be joined by U.S. Representative Janelle Bynum for the Deschutes County town hall in Sisters. The three rescheduled events in Central
Sens. Wicker, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Co-Chairs of the Senate Nursing Caucus, introduced the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act. This legislation would ensure that nurses in the federal Nurse Corps do not need to pay income tax on their student loan repayments and scholarships. “Nurses are essential to
Merkley and Wyden Announce $4.7 Million To Help Homeless Veterans Across Oregon
Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded over $4.7 million in grant funding for homeless veterans in Oregon. The funding comes from the Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) program and will be distributed to organizations across
Merkley Applauds News that Majority Leader Won’t Bring Up TPP in Lame Duck
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after news that Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will not bring up the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement for congressional approval in the post-election lame duck session: “It’s rare for me to agree with Senator McConnell, but in this case
Members of Congress File Brief Urging Court to Recognize Employment Protections for LGBT Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A group of leading Members of Congress has filed an amicus brief in the case of Hively v. Ivy Tech Community College, urging the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to recognize existing non-discrimination protections for LGBT Americans under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. U.S. Senators
Merkley and Wyden Announce Earthquake Early Warning System Grant for University of Oregon
Washington DC – Today, Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has awarded approximately $3.7 million to six universities, including the University of Oregon, to help advance an earthquake early warning system along the West Coast. The funding announced today will help improve
Social Security Administration Changes Policy to Better Accommodate Seniors after Merkley’s Urging
Portland, OR – After Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley wrote a letter to Social Security Commissioner Carolyn Colvin last week to address his concerns over a new system that would block online access to benefits for seniors without a text-enabled cell phone, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced today that they
Merkley Statement on DEA’s Decision Not to Reschedule Marijuana
Portland, OR. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the announcement from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that the U.S. will affirm its prohibition on medical marijuana. “Today’s announcement from the DEA is a huge disappointment to people in the 27 jurisdictions across the country that have