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
VA to Voluntarily Implement Bipartisan Provision to Enhance VA Medical Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) today welcomed the news that the Veterans Health Administration (VA) is moving to voluntarily implement one of the key proposals from their bipartisan Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act, helping to ensure
Bicameral, Bipartisan Deal Reached On Major Toxic Chemicals Reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and a bipartisan, bicameral group of Congressional leaders have announced an agreement on the first major reform of toxic chemicals regulation in decades. This agreement puts Congress on the cusp of finally passing historic legislation to reform the nation’s broken chemical safety law.
Merkley and Wyden Announce Key Wins for Oregon Veterans in Senate Passage of Military Construction Appropriations Bill
Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that included in the Senate Military Construction appropriations bill that passed the Senate today are key provisions that will help Oregonians. These include $320 million for the Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF) program and $496 million for the Veterans
Merkley Prioritizes Rural Economic Opportunities In Agriculture Spending Bill
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, announced today that included in the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill are key provisions to boost rural affordable housing, energy efficiency, and forest health, among other economic priorities for rural America. Merkley also announced a large
PHOTO/VIDEO RELEASE: Merkley Meets with Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after meeting with President Obama’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Chief Judge Merrick Garland: “I was honored to meet with Merrick Garland today. We had a wide-ranging conversation about many of the issues facing our nation, and how he
Merkley, Mikulski and Manchin Push For More Action on Opioid Abuse in Senate Spending Bill
Washington, DC- Today, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) announced a key win to help combat opioid abuse in the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill that passed the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill includes language that directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take into