Press Releases

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, Young Bipartisan Bill to Promote Peaceful Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Unanimously Passes Senate

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, and Indiana’s U.S. Senator Todd Young announced their bipartisan, bicameral Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act unanimously passed the Senate. The bill strengthens the United States’ policy to promote dialogue between the People’s

Merkley: Republicans Playing Politics with Crisis at Southern Border

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement regarding his vote on bipartisan border security legislation: “The crisis at our southern border is a direct result of a systematic effort by MAGA Republicans to obstruct every meaningful attempt to enact immigration reform. “Today, I will

Merkley: Water Infrastructure Bill is Strong Investment in Oregon’s Future

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. WRDA is critical, bipartisan legislation that authorizes US Army Corp of Engineers’ (USACE) projects throughout the country. These projects maintain Oregon’s

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