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 Statement on Senate Action to Take on Opioids Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Senate held a bipartisan vote to bring a bill to the floor to help take on the growing opioid crisis across America: “As the opioid crisis has spread throughout America, no corner of our state has
Merkley, Durbin, Blumenthal, Menendez, Schumer Introduce Medical Debt Relief Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) introduced the Medical Debt Relief Act. This legislation would prevent medical debt from continuing to damage consumers’ credit scores after it has been paid off or settled,
Merkley Statement on Agreement to Help Rebuild Flint and Other Crumbling Water Infrastructure Systems
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate leaders, including Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, announced an agreement to move forward on a package of emergency funding to help Flint, Michigan with its water crisis and to help other cities across the country
Merkley Pushes EPA Official for Action on Portland Air Contamination
Portland, OR. — Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley pressed the top administration official on air quality during a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee meeting for assurances that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would take all necessary steps to provide answers and solutions to residents of Portland, Oregon about the
Merkley Announces $36 Million In Housing Funds for State of Oregon
Portland, OR. — Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced that Oregon would receive over $36 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury to assist homeowners struggling to avoid foreclosure. Today’s announcement from the Treasury Department includes an opportunity for the state of Oregon to apply for an additional $110 million
Wyden, Merkley, 31 Senators File Supreme Court Amicus Brief to Support Affordable Access to Birth Control
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with Sens. Al Franken, D-Minn., and Patty Murray, D-Wash., today led a group of more than 30 Democratic Senators in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court on the need to protect women’s access to affordable birth