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
ICYMI — Consumer Protection News: Credit-Reporting Agencies to Improve Medical Debt Policies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In Case You Missed It: This month brought big news for consumers, with credit-reporting agencies agreeing to major changes in how they treat medical debt. The three big credit-reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, will now have to wait 180 days before adding medical debt to a
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
Middle-Class Budget Report Card: Ten Things to Watch for in the Senate Republican Budget
WASHINGTON, D.C. – With Senate Republicans expected to unveil their 2016 budget later today, here are ten things to watch for when asking whether it’s a budget that works for America’s middle class, or yet another budget for the best off: 1. Infrastructure investment Does the budget invest in significant
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
Merkley Visits Abandoned Factory in Oregon to Highlight Need for a Level Playing Field for American Manufacturers
OREGON CITY, Ore. – Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., stood in front of the abandoned Blue Heron paper mill in Oregon City on Friday to highlight legislation he introduced Thursday to crack down on unfair trade practices, level the playing field for American manufacturing companies and help create middle-class jobs. “Just a