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
Merkley, Kaine Launch Effort to Protect and Strengthen Federal Student Loan Repayment Options
Washington, D.C. – With affordable student loan repayment options at risk under the Trump Administration, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Virginia’s U.S. Senator Tim Kaine today led their colleagues to launch a new effort to protect and expand federal student loan repayment programs. The Savings Opportunity and Affordable Repayment (SOAR)
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
McGovern, Merkley Ask Secretary Rubio to Restore Funding to China Human Rights NGOs
Letter laments that Rubio is cutting support to groups that aided his legislative profile, including their Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act ***Text of Letter Here (PDF)*** WASHINGTON, D.C.—Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA) and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio asking him to restore funding to non-governmental
Merkley, Wyden, 20+ Senators Swing Back at VA Secretary Collins’ “Blatantly Dishonest” Claims that Cutting 83,000 VA Employees Will Have No Impact on Veterans’ Care and Benefits
Layoffs at the Roseburg VA are threatening the delivery of medical supplies Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to blast Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins’ plans to cut more than 80,000
Merkley, Wyden Push to Expand Smith River National Recreation Area to Include Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today introduced the Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act, legislation to expand the Smith River National Recreation Area by 58,000 acres. This legislation is critical to protect the diverse ecosystems of the rivers, streams, and adjacent lands of
Merkley Denounces Scheme to Cripple the EPA
Democratic Committee members say EPA Administrator Zeldin’s illegal plan to gut the federal agency is poised to torpedo environmental safeguards while undermining the Constitution Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee—joined all his Democratic colleagues on the Committee
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Call for Investigation into Trump’s Purge of Workers Protecting Americans’ Health and Safety
Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden urged the non-partisan Government Accountability Office (GAO) to launch an investigation into how the recent mass firings of probationary federal workers have impacted Americans’ health and safety. In recent weeks, President Trump has fired at least
Merkley Announces March Town Halls
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced today he will hold five town halls for Oregonians in March, with in-person community conversations in Jackson and Josephine counties on Sunday, March 16, followed by conversations in Morrow, Gilliam, and Sherman counties on Tuesday, March 18. The five events continue Merkley’s
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