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 President Obama’s Decision to Reject the Keystone Pipeline
Washington– Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after President Obama rejected the Keystone XL Pipeline: “Rejecting the Keystone XL Pipeline is the right decision for our citizens, this country, and our planet. The Keystone XL Pipeline would have turned on the tap for some of the dirtiest fossil fuels
Merkley Introduces Major New Legislation to Stop New Fossil Fuel Leases on Federal Lands
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley—joined by leading environmental advocates—introduced the Keep It in the Ground Act, major new legislation to help accelerate the transition to clean energy by ending all new federal leases for oil, gas or coal extraction on public lands and waters. “Climate change is
Merkley, Brown, Shaheen Press for Information on Financial Technology Market’s Impact on Small Businesses and Consumers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) pressed for information on the emerging financial technology market and how it is affecting small businesses and consumers who use this market to access credit. The Senators serve, respectively, as the Ranking Member
Crowdfunding Rules Finalized: Merkley Highlights New Online Options for Small Businesses to Grow
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) finalized crowdfunding rules to allow startups and small businesses to raise funds from small-dollar investors. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley authored the provision of the JOBS Act to legalize crowdfunding, and has been repeatedly pressing the SEC to finalize the
Banking Committee Members Urge SEC Nominees to Support Rule Requiring Public Companies to Disclose Political Spending
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Eight members of the Senate Banking Committee urged the newly-named nominees for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to support a requirement that publicly-held companies disclose their political spending to shareholders, and pressed the nominees to work to put such a rule into action should they
Merkley Applauds Administration Action to Extend Income-Based Student Loan Repayment to All Federal Borrowers
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Education finalized a new rule making all Americans who take out student loans directly from the federal government eligible for income-based repayment that will cap monthly payments at 10% of their discretionary income. The