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
Merkley, Whitehouse, Welch, Huffman Urge Strong, Binding International Plastics Agreement Following INC-4
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) today urged for a strong, binding international agreement to curb plastics after attending the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in Ottawa, Canada. “In Ottawa, we pressed U.S. negotiators to join with
Merkley, Wyden Introduce Bill to Fund Agriculture Research in Oregon, Support its Industry
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced the introduction of the Oregon Research Bounty Act, legislation to authorize funding for 11 research projects that benefit Oregon’s agriculture and forest product sectors. As the former top Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that writes our nation’s
Wyden, Merkley Announce $6.9 Million for Oregon Coastal Resilience and Ecosystem Recovery
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced that Oregon will receive more than $6.9 million in federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to support coastal ecosystem restoration and resilience. “The worsening damage from the climate crisis slams our
Merkley: Netanyahu’s War Campaign at Odds with American Values
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement regarding his position on the U.S. Senate’s national security supplemental funding bill: “This bill has multiple important elements I strongly support, including providing critical aid to Ukraine in the face of Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion. Ukraine is
Merkley, Hoyle Lead Oregon Delegation in Urging Renewed Commitment to State’s Wildfire Response Ahead of Deadline
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Val Hoyle today led U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Cliff Bentz in a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Director Tracy Stone-Manning
Booker, Merkley, Huffman Reintroduce Legislation to Address Plastic Production Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), along with U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02), reintroduced theProtecting Communities from Plastics Act, legislation that addresses the plastic production crisis that is fueling climate change and perpetuating environmental injustice. With plastic production and consumption on track to double