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 Legislation to Avert a Government Shutdown and Fund Emergency Wildfire Response
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed a bill to avert a looming government shutdown by funding the government at current levels through December 11. The legislation also includes $700 million in emergency funding to help with the costs that were
Merkley Statement on Royal Dutch Shell’s Decision to Stop Arctic Drilling
WASHINGTON DC—Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the announcement by Royal Dutch Shell that it would indefinitely suspend drilling in the Arctic. Shell’s statement comes after months of urging by Merkley, who in July introduced the Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2015, a major piece of
Merkley Statement on Pope Francis’s Address to Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Pope Francis addressed a joint session of the United States Congress this morning: “This morning, Pope Francis powerfully reminded us all of our true purpose as public servants: that we are ‘called to defend and preserve the dignity
Merkley, Stabenow Decry Potential Loss of Food Assistance if Republicans Shut Down Government
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, today decried the potential loss or delay of food assistance for millions of Americans if
Merkley Statement on Federal Sage Grouse Decision
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced they would not list the greater sage grouse under the Endangered Species Act: “Today’s news is a victory for conservation and a huge relief for so many of our rural Oregon
Merkley and Maloney Commend Labor Department Overtime Rule for Extending Breastfeeding Protection to Over 1 Million Working Women
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) commended U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez for extending overtime protections to 4.8 million workers and in doing so, extending workplace protections to over 1 million breastfeeding women. In their letter to the Secretary, Merkley and
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