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 Statement on Trip to Afghanistan

Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after returning from a Congressional Delegation trip to Afghanistan. “You can’t meet with our troops overseas and not be blown away by their skill, dedication, and sacrifice.  They undertake and accomplish amazing things under incredibly difficult conditions every day,

Senators Call on McConnell to Put Jobs First in “Super Committee”

WASHINGTON – One day after Republicans in the House and Senate announced their picks for the Joint Select Committee (JSC), Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and 22 of his Democratic colleagues sent a simple message to Republican lawmakers: Put jobs first.  In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the

Merkley Statement on the Passing of Senator Mark Hatfield

Portland – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement on the passing of former Governor and Senator Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon. “I am deeply saddened to hear about Senator Hatfield’s death. “Senator Hatfield took courageous positions of conscience — from opposing the Vietnam War to advocating  for the

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