Press Releases

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

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

Senators Ask Obama for Swift Action to Lower Gas Prices

Washington, DC – With gas prices skyrocketing across the nation, a group of six senators, including Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, called on President Obama to sell off a small portion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to help bring down the price at the pump.  The senators called for investing

Merkley Joins Effort to Protect Servicemembers From Falling Victim to Mortgage Abuses

PORTLAND, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) in an effort to strengthen mortgage protections for servicemembers once they return home from duty.  The Protecting Servicemembers from Mortgage and Abuse Act of 2011 will help protect members of the military from mortgage abuses by encouraging financial

Merkley: House Bill will Jeopardize Job Creation

PORTLAND, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement on the House of Representatives-passed resolution to fund government operations through September: “When I travel across Oregon, everywhere I go, the top priority is job creation.  With one in ten Oregonians still out of work, we need to make

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