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
Merkley Statement on the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
Washington, DC- Today, the Senate reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, which funds key programs to combat domestic and sexual violence. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after passage of the bill. “The Violence Against Women Act has been extremely successful. Since 1994, when the bill first was
Merkley Pushes Back Against Proposed Cuts to National Guard Counterdrug Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley sent a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee calling on them to preserve funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program. The program has been critical to detecting and disrupting drug activity, particularly large-scale marijuana growing
Senators: Implement Volcker Rule Without Delay
Washington, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Carl Levin (D-MI) led a group of 22 Senators in calling on regulators to write and implement a strong Volcker Rule free of loopholes and draw clear lines between large hedge-fund like trading and traditional banking. In a letter to Federal
Senate Passes Bill to Keep Postal Service Running
Washington, DC– Today, the United States Senate passed the bipartisan 21st Century Postal Service Act, which reforms the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and puts it on a path toward solvency. The bill includes an amendment offered by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) that prohibits the closure
Senate Passes Merkley Amendment to Save Oregon’s Rural Post Offices
Washington, DC- Today, the U.S. Senate approved Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley’s amendment to prohibit the closure of rural post offices where such closure would have a substantial impact on small businesses, seniors’ access to medication, and the economic strength of the community. Moreover, it bars the closing of any post
Merkley, Wyden: Local Concerns Must Be Addressed in Travel Management Plan
Washington, DC- Today, Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden urged the Forest Service to fully re-engage the public and address concerns after the Forest Service decided to “stop the clock” and withdraw the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Travel Management Plan. In a letter to Tom Tidwell, Chief of the United
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