Press Releases

Merkley, Van Hollen, Colleagues: Trump’s Military Actions in Yemen Must Follow the Law

Washington, D.C. – As President Trump visits the Middle East this week, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maryland’s U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen—both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—today led their colleagues in demanding answers from the administration about its military operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen and

Wyden, Merkley Co-Sponsor Legislation to Ban Conversion Therapy 

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore) today announced they are co-sponsoring legislation that would ban so-called “conversion therapy,” a practice fraudulently claiming to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.  “Forcing Americans into sham therapy for a non-existent illness is medieval quackery, not modern

Padilla, Merkley, Schakowsky Introduce Bicameral Bill to Strengthen Nursing Staff Standards, Improve Patient Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on International Nurses Day, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act to improve hospital patient care and nurse retention by setting mandatory minimum registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09)

Congress Passes Merkley Bill in Veterans Compromise

WASHINGTON – Today the Senate passed compromise legislation to reform the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and improve veterans’ benefits, which includes a provision authored by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley to expand educational benefits to spouses of service members who die in the line of the duty. The bill, which was passed

Merkley Introduces Older Americans CARE Act To Help Seniors Stay in their Homes

WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced new legislation to help older Americans stay in their own homes and communities as they age. The bill, the Older Americans Community Access Revitalization and Education (CARE) Act, would also improve seniors’ access to a range of health and support services. Merkley’s

Merkley: ‘Irresponsible’ to Leave without Wildfire Funding

Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans used a procedural tactic to kill an emergency supplemental spending bill, which included $615 million in emergency funding to fight wildfires in the West. “With thousands of acres engulfed in flames in the Northwest, and lives and property in jeopardy,

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,”

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