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 Passes Infrastructure Jobs Bill Through Committee

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today announced that the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has passed his Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act  (WIFIA). The WIFIA program was included as an element of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which the committee passed on a bipartisan vote. WIFIA

Committee Passes Merkley Amendment Aimed at Creating Jobs in Overgrown Forests

WASHINGTON, D.C.—An amendment by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley aimed at putting people to work in the woods and improving the health of our overgrown forests passed the Senate Budget Committee today with bipartisan support.  This amendment to the funding outline for fiscal year 2014 makes it possible for Congress to

Merkley: “London Whale” Report A Wake Up Call to Regulators

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released a report on J.P. Morgan’s “London Whale” losses:  “Today’s report is yet another reminder to regulators that it is past time to get the job done on a strong, simple Volcker

Merkley: Senate Budget puts Premium on Job Growth

Washington, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Budget Committee, said the budget put forth by the Chair Patty Murray and the Senate Democrats will help middle-class families succeed and recharge economic growth, while responsibly bringing down deficits. “Our top priority needs to be making

Merkley, Wyden Introduce Amendment to Keep Air Traffic Control Towers Open

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today cosponsored a bipartisan amendment that would keep open air traffic control towers in Oregon that are slated to be closed due to the automatic spending cuts known as the “sequester.”  This amendment would help five airports in Oregon — North Bend,

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