Press Releases

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

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: Senate Budget Works for the Best Off, Not for Working Americans

WASHINGTON — Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans narrowly passed a partisan budget that slashes investment in education, fails to close tax loopholes that ship jobs overseas, and attacks consumer protection and financial reform: “This budget works for the best off, but it sure doesn’t

Merkley, Franken Introduce Legislation To Promote Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Al Franken (D-MN) today introduced legislation designed to increase student access to courses in STEM education subjects and provide additional resources to recruit, train, and support teachers of these subjects. “Whether we’re inventing new life-saving medications, or creating new technologies for connecting

Merkley, Wyden Join 20 Other Senators in Call for Crude-by-Rail Safety Investments

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today joined with 20 other Senators calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to support robust investment for a Safe Transportation of Energy Products program to address increasing safety concerns related to the transportation of Bakken crude and other energy products.  The

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