Press Releases

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 Statement on Klamath Dams Announcement

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Department of the Interior, PacifiCorp and the states of Oregon and California announced an agreement to remove four Klamath River dams, a key component of the Klamath Basin water sharing agreements: “After years of conflict and

Merkley Statement on Arrest of Militant Leaders in Harney County Standoff

WASHINGTON, DC –Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after law enforcement officials arrested militant leaders. “I am pleased that the FBI has listened to the concerns of the local community and responded to the illegal activity occurring in Harney County by outside extremists. The leaders of this

Merkley Kicks Off Series of ‘We the People’ Floor Speeches

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley kicked off a new series of “We the People” floor speeches, in which he will go to the floor of the Senate on a regular basis to call attention to issues affecting everyday Americans that are being undermined by powerful special interests. 

Merkley Statement on New Halt to Coal Leasing on Public Lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the lead sponsor of the Keep It in the Ground Act, released the following statement after reports that the Interior Department will halt new leases for coal production on federal public lands until further studies about the environmental impact of continuing coal production

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