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
Senators Introduce Repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A coalition of United States Senators today introduced legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and enhance our country’s military effectiveness. The Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010 contains three main provisions: it will repeal the law that prevents gay Americans from openly serving in the military,
Merkley Statement on End to Republican Filibuster and Passage of Benefits for Unemployed Oregonians
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after an end to the Republican filibuster and the Senate passage of a 30-day extension of unemployment assistance to millions of Americans who have been hurt by the current recession. “Tonight, Senate Democrats broke the Republican filibuster that has
Merkley, Wyden Announce $8.3 million in Recovery Act Funds for Broadband Infrastructure
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce has awarded Oregon $8.3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to bring broadband infrastructure to Lane, Douglas and Klamath counties and the Klamath Tribal region. The Broadband
White House Includes Low-cost Financing in Energy Efficiency Program after Push from Merkley
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Barack Obama visited Savannah, GA today to announce his support for a job-creating energy efficiency program that includes a financing program, as recommended by Senator Jeff Merkley. In December, Merkley wrote to the President urging him to allow families to pay for energy-efficient renovations with low-cost
Merkley Statement on Proposal to House Consumer Financial Protection Agency within the Federal Reserve
WASHINGTON, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement on reports of a Senate proposal to continue to house consumer financial protection within the Federal Reserve. Merkley is a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. “The Federal Reserve currently has authority over consumer issues,
Merkley, Wyden, Dodd, Cantwell, Mikulski and Cardin Fight for Local Control Over LNG Terminal Siting
WASHINGTON, DC – Working to give state entities the power to determine both the need for – and the location of – liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in their states, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Ben Cardin