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 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.
Merkley Urges Rehab-to-Rent Strategy to Help Stabilize Housing
WASHINGTON, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined 33 of his colleagues in asking the Obama Administration and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to swiftly develop an efficient and effective real estate owned (REO) management strategy. This strategy will convert foreclosed homes into affordable rentals to help address the foreclosure
MERKLEY TO HOLD TOWN HALL IN GRANTS PASS
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley will hold a town hall in Josephine County during the first week of November. He will update constituents on his work in Washington, DC, answer their questions and invite their suggestions about how to tackle the challenges facing Oregon and America. “Traveling across
Merkley Statement on Iraq Troop Withdrawal
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the announcement by President Barack Obama that the last American soldier in Iraq will be home by the end of the year. “It is terrific to hear that all of our men and women in uniform will come home