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

Merkley Statement on Cannabis Rescheduling

Merkley: “Cannabis has not been descheduled, so we still have work to do.” Washington, D.C. – Following the Biden administration’s cannabis rescheduling announcement, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a lead sponsor of the SAFER Banking Act—shared the following statement: “I pushed the Biden administration to make good on the President’s commitment

Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $3.6 Million for the Tualatin Mountain Forest Project 

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is awarding $3.63 million to further support the Tualatin Mountain Forest Project through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Legacy Program.  This new federal funding builds off of the $10 million foundation Merkley and Wyden announced

Cardin, Rubio, Kaine, Cassidy, Merkley Introduce Resolution Welcoming Paraguay President, Supporting U.S.-Paraguay Relationship

WASHINGTON – Today, as Paraguay celebrates the 213th anniversary of its independence, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.). Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) are introducing a Senate resolution welcoming President Santiago Peña of Paraguay to the United States, as

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