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

Bicameral Group of Members Urge DOJ to Crack Down on Consumer Scams

Washington, D.C. (Feb. 26, 2014) – Today, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chairman of the Banking Committee’s Economic Policy Subcommittee, and Representative Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, along with 11 additional Members of Congress, sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder

Merkley: Great News “Chained CPI” Not in Budget

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after it was announced that a cut to the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for Social Security will not be included in President Obama’s budget for Fiscal Year 2015.  “It is great news that the President is responding to

Merkley: New Fuel Efficiency Standards for Trucks a No Brainer

Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the President announced new fuel efficiency standards for medium and heavy duty trucks.   “Our nation is addicted to oil. This addiction is bad for our economy, our national security, and our climate, and it’s one we need to

Merkley Applauds Passage of Bill to Reverse Military Retiree Cuts

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the Senate passed a bill that would safeguard current military retirees from changes to cost of living adjustments (COLA) that were included in the budget agreement passed last December. The bill now heads to the President’s desk for

Merkley Applauds New Minimum Wage for Federal Contractors

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after President Barack Obama signed an executive order to raise the minimum wage for federal contractors to $10.10. Senator Merkley called on the President late last year to sign this executive order.  “Raising the minimum wage lifts hard-working people

Merkley Votes to Remove Military Retiree Cuts

 Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the Senate voted to move forward on a bill that would safeguard military retirees from changes to cost of living adjustments (COLA) that were included in the budget agreement passed last December.  “The budget deal passed last year

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