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 Slams Republican Filibuster of Bring Jobs Home Act
WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement today after a Senate minority voted to filibuster the Bring Jobs Home Act, which would end tax subsidies for companies that ship jobs overseas and reward companies that bring jobs back home. Merkley is an original cosponsor of the bill.
Merkley Testifies at EPA Hearing, Calls for Action on Clean Power Plan
WASHINGTON, DC—Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley testified before the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today in support of the most significant action ever taken to combat carbon pollution in the United States, the Clean Power Plan. “Carbon pollution is taking a big toll on our natural resources, and the impacts are growing,”
Merkley backs Commerce Department ruling to give American manufacturing companies a fair shot against illegally-subsidized Chinese solar imports
In a move that will protect American jobs and U.S. solar panel manufacturers from competing against artificially cheap solar products from China, which are illegally subsidized and sold below the cost of production, the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday established new import duties on Chinese solar products. Oregon’s Senator Jeff
Merkley, Blumenauer Introduce Columbia River Restoration Act to Clean Up Columbia Basin
WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) introduced the Columbia River Restoration Act (CRRA). The CRRA would authorize $50 million over five years for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a voluntary, competitive Columbia Basin grants program for projects that assist in eliminating or reducing
Bipartisan Merkley Bill Included in Veterans Compromise
WASHINGTON – As the Chairs of the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees today unveiled compromise legislation to reform the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and improve veterans’ benefits, they announced that the legislation will include a bipartisan provision authored by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley to expand tuition benefits for spouses
Senators Call on SEC to Get the Job Done on Key, Unfinished Crisis-Era Reforms
WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley led a group of 11 Senators in calling on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to get the job done on key, unfinished reforms that are essential to preventing another financial crisis. In a letter to SEC Chair Mary Jo White, the Senators