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 Fights Back Against Hobby Lobby Ruling

Washington, DC- Today Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley fought back against last week’s Supreme Court decision in the case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby by announcing that he is cosponsoring legislation that would restore employees’ access to birth control coverage.  “It’s unacceptable that the Supreme Court has put contraceptive coverage in

Merkley Holds Hearing on Economic Challenges Facing Young Workers and Recent Grads

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the Chair of the Senate Banking Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Policy, held a hearing yesterday on the economic challenges facing young workers and recent high school and college graduates. The hearing, titled “Dreams Deferred: Young Workers & Recent Grads in U.S. Economy,” focused on

Merkley, Wyden Highlight NTSB’s Call for Expanded Oil Trains Transparency

Washington, D.C. – First responders need more timely and detailed information about crude-by-rail trains in order to better protect communities, according to a letter from the National Transportation Board released today by Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. The senators urged Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to use

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