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 Announces $58 Million In Housing Funds for State of Oregon
Portland, OR — Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced that Oregon would receive an additional $58 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury to assist Oregonians who are struggling with the housing crisis gripping the state. Today’s announcement adds to the $36 million that was announced two months ago by
Senate Passes Klamath Water and Power Provision as Part of Bipartisan Energy Package
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United States Senate passed an energy bill that includes a provision sponsored by Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden to provide tools to better manage water, and to encourage water and power conservation, to benefit agriculture and wildlife in the Klamath Basin. The bill
Merkley Denounces Lack of Action on E-Cigarette Rules
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today on the Senate floor, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley denounced the Administration’s ongoing inaction in finalizing the proposed tobacco deeming rule, and called for the rule to be finalized as quickly as possible. Finalizing the rule is essential to putting in place regulations for e-cigarettes and other
Senate Passes FAA Bill that Includes Merkley-Wyden ‘TSA Fairness Act’ to Restore Commercial Service at Klamath Falls Airport
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the U.S. Senate today passed legislation renewing and updating the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)’s authorities, which includes a bipartisan provision pushed by Merkley and Wyden, the Treating Small Airports with Fairness (TSA Fairness) Act. The TSA Fairness Act
Merkley, Brown, Shaheen Ask GAO for Updated Report on the Financial Technology Marketplace
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) wrote to the head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), asking for an updated report on the rapidly-expanding financial technology, or “fintech,” marketplace. Merkley, Brown and Shaheen serve respectively as the
Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer and Bipartisan Group of Lawmakers Push President to Remove Barriers to Medical Marijuana Research
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer, along with a bipartisan group of 24 senators and representatives, urged President Obama to remove barriers to research on medical marijuana and facilitate new medical research on cannabis and its derivatives. “Twenty-three states have passed