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

Oregon Members Fight for Investments, Critical Maintenance of Oregon’s Ports

Washington, D.C.—Today, members of the Oregon Congressional Delegation sent a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Jo-Ellen Darcy encouraging the Obama Administration to use a portion of the federal funds allocated for dredging at Oregon’s ports. Representatives Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Kurt Schrader and Suzanne Bonamici,

Senator Merkley Announces State of the Union Guest

WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced his guest for the 2015 State of the Union speech, Umatilla School District Superintendent Heidi Sipe. Several years ago, Merkley and Sipe partnered together to help turn Umatilla’s robotics program from an idea to a reality. Since its inception in 2012, the

Merkley Applauds New Steps Forward to Tackle Dangerous Methane Pollution

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Obama administration announced new steps toward dramatically cutting methane emissions over the next decade: “The danger that methane poses to our climate is real and potent. With fracking – a notorious source of methane leaks – on the

Merkley Becomes Top Democrat on Agriculture Appropriations

WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced that in the 114th Congress he will become the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, putting him in a powerful position to advocate for Oregon’s rural communities, agriculture research institutions,

National Championship: The “Big Bet”

WASHINGTON, DC – The national championship game Monday night between Ohio State and Oregon has generated so much talk between the U.S. Senators from Oregon and Ohio that both sides have decided it’s time to back it up by putting up “very personal” stakes. Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff

en_USEnglish