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 Senator Ron Wyden
WASHINGTON, DC – Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement on Senator Ron Wyden’s announcement that he is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer: “Ron has been a tremendous friend and mentor to me in the U.S. Senate. I spoke to him yesterday and he was in good spirits and
Merkley and Wyden Announce Shepherds Flat Loan Guarantee Finalization
Portland, OR – Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy has finalized a $1.3 billion loan guarantee for the Shepherds Flat wind farm in Eastern Oregon. This financing will help support the completion of the world’s largest wind farm and will help
Merkley Statement on Arrival of All-electric Nissan Leaf Vehicles in Portland
Portland, OR –The U.S. Department of Energy highlighted the arrival of all-electric Nissan Leaf vehicles in Portland, Oregon Wednesday. Oregon’s I-5 corridor was selected as an early participant in the Electric Vehicle (EV) Project to deploy thousands of electric vehicles and charging stations in cities across the nation. The EV
Dodd, Lautenberg, Casey, and Merkley Introduce Bill to Continue Efforts to Prevent Underage Drinking
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today, along with Senators Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), introduced the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act Reauthorization, legislation designed to prevent underage drinking. According to the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey released yesterday, the largest
Merkley: Tax Package Will Not Do Enough to Help Middle Class, Create Jobs
Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement on the Obama-McConnell tax package pending before the Senate: “I have very strong concerns about the tax proposal before us and cannot support moving forward on the package as it now stands. “This plan will add nearly a trillion
Senate Democrats Urge Vote to Strengthen Social Security Instead of Giving Bonus Tax Cuts to Those Making Over $1 Million a Year
Washington, D.C. – In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Thursday, the group, led by Senators Jeff Merkley (OR) and Mary Landrieu (LA) pushed for an alternative tax cut agreement that strengthens Social Security rather than providing bonus tax cuts on income over $1 million. Other senators signing