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
Congress Passes Bipartisan Flood Insurance Fix Based on Merkley Bill
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate passed legislation based on a proposal by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley that will delay flood insurance rate hikes threatening Oregon homes and businesses. The legislation heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. In September, Merkley held a hearing in his Economic
Merkley Helps Reach Bipartisan Agreement to Restore Emergency Unemployment Insurance
Washington, DC –Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined four fellow Democrats and five Republicans in announcing an agreement to reauthorize expired emergency unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for 5 months. The bill is cosponsored by Merkley and Senators Dean Heller (R-NV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Rob Portman (R-OH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark
Merkley Holds Hearing on the State of Retirement Security
WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the Chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Economic Policy, today held a hearing on the state of retirement security to explore the major challenges facing Americans in preparing financially for retirement. The hearing, titled “The State of U.S. Retirement Security: Can the Middle Class
MEDIA ADVISORY: Merkley to Join All-Night Senate Session Calling for Climate Change Action
WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley will join 28 senators in a rare all-night session to call for action on climate change. Merkley will speak on the Senate Floor at approximately 8:30pm Pacific tonight to highlight the costs of carbon pollution on Oregon’s economy, particularly farming, fishing and forests,
Merkley Cosponsors Bill to Protect Medicare for Seniors
WASHINGTON D.C. – Today Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley cosponsored the Medicare Protection Act, legislation that expresses strong opposition to changes in Medicare that would reduce or eliminate guaranteed benefits or raise the eligibility age for hard-working seniors. Today, more than 46 million Americans rely on Medicare. “Raising the Medicare eligibility
Merkley, Wyden Push Leads to Big Support for Dredging, Jetties
WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has heeded their call to fund dredging operations at Oregon’s ports. As a result, Oregon’s ports will receive $19 million more in assistance – $4.2 million of it to six small ports