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, Boxer Introduce Legislation to Provide Education Benefits to Spouses of Fallen Military Members
Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today introduced the Spouses of Heroes Education Act, which would amend the Post-9/11 GI Bill to include spousal eligibility for the Fry Scholarship. This expands the program to provide the same full undergraduate education benefits to spouses that are currently
Transportation Bill Passes Out of Committee
Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today joined his colleagues in the Environment and Public Works Committee in unanimously approving bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the nation’s transportation programs for two years. “Finally, a major jobs bill with bipartisan support is making forward progress in the U.S. Senate,” Merkley said. “This
MERKLEY INTRODUCES “EV CAR ACT”
Washington, DC– Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Electric Vehicle Charge and Ride Act (EV CAR), which would allow states to build electric vehicle charging stations in new or existing “park-and-ride” facilities. The bill will help boost deployment of electric vehicles and facilitate carpooling, while reducing our dependence on
Merkley Releases County-by-County Report on Loss of Construction Jobs and the State of Oregon Bridges
Washington, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released a report showing that 456 bridges in Oregon are structurally deficient, and said investments in rebuilding those bridges would put thousands of Oregonians back to work—especially those in the field of construction, which has experienced far higher unemployment that most other
Senators Introduce Constitutional Amendment to Clean Up Campaign Finance System
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Michael Bennet today introduced a constitutional amendment to grant Congress the authority to regulate the campaign finance system. Among other important reforms, the amendment would allow Congress to correct the controversial Citizens United v. FEC Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance that has the effect of
Merkley, Brown Introduce Bill to Protect Seniors from Scams
Washington, DC – Today, on Halloween, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Ohio’s Senator Sherrod Brown introduced the Deceptive Loan Checks Elimination Act, which would prohibit companies from sending “live” loan checks to consumers. In these schemes, financial institutions send unsuspecting customers a check made out to them for some amount.