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 Republican Budget Doesn’t Work for Working Americans

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement on the Senate Republican Budget, which was marked up in the Senate Budget Committee today: “The question I brought to this debate was, will this be a budget that works for working Americans? Or will it be a budget for

Merkley Urges CFPB to Issue Tough Payday Rules, Protect Consumers from Predatory Loans

WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley – the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection – strongly urged the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to crack down on destructive predatory lending by issuing new, tough rules that would protect consumers from damaging and

Merkley Statement on Gretchen Kafoury

Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley made the following statement upon learning the news of Gretchen Kafoury’s passing. “I’m deeply saddened by the passing of my friend, Gretchen. She was the heart and soul of Portland’s affordable housing community. She cared deeply about those who were struggling to get a

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