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

Merkley Applauds President for Health Care Decision

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the President said he would allow insurance companies to continue providing to their customers the same health plans next year.  “I applaud President Obama for responding to the call I and others have put forward to honor the

Merkley: “This Obstruction Is Outrageous”

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after a minority of Senators filibustered the nomination of Cornelia Pillard to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. In recent weeks, the Republican minority has also filibustered the nominations of Mel Watt to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency and

Merkley Cosponsors Bill To Ensure Consumers Can Keep Health Plans

WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced that he is cosponsoring the Keeping the Affordable Care Act Promise Act, a bill that gives consumers the choice to keep their current health plans if they want to continue them. During the debate over the Affordable Care Act, a promise was

Merkley Celebrates Bipartisan Vote on Historic Civil Rights Legislation

Eugene, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley visited the University of Oregon today to celebrate the Senate’s historic passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and to call on the House of Representatives to vote on this legislation. Senator Merkley also took the opportunity to invite Speaker Boehner out to

MERKLEY: ENDA HISTORIC VOTE FOR EQUALITY

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement on the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill he authored.  “Today’s vote was a historic vote for equality and freedom. Deeply embedded in the constitution are notions of freedom and liberty, and discrimination is the antithesis

Merkley Statement on Yellen Meeting

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Federal Reserve Chair Nominee Janet Yellen on Wednesday: “Janet Yellen and I had a productive discussion about the Federal Reserve’s role in supporting economic growth and in regulating the financial

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