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 Supports Bill to Level the Playing Field for American Workers

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that he has co-sponsored legislation to reform existing trade policy that has put American workers at a disadvantage in the global marketplace.  The Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act sets standards for labor, environmental, and other basic protections in

Merkley Statement on President Obama’s Address on Afghanistan

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement of more troops for Afghanistan: “I appreciate that President Obama has taken the time to fully examine this issue and consider the available options.  However, I’m not convinced the case has been made

Merkley: Senate Takes Historic Step Towards Reforming Health Care

Washington, DC – The United States Senate today voted to begin to debate legislation to finally reform our broken health care system.  Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley voted to proceed to the debate and issued the following statement: “This debate is far from over, but we have now come further than any

Merkley Announces Donation of Senate Computers to Oregon Schools

Washington D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that five Oregon schools and school districts will receive surplus computers from the United States Senate. Three schools and two school districts from the Willamette Valley to Umatilla County will each receive five computers from the U.S. Senate’s Computers for Schools

Senate Passes Package to Strengthen Health Care for Veterans

Washington, DC – The U.S. Senate passed an omnibus bill Thursday that bolsters health care for veterans on several fronts.  The legislation includes four bills co-sponsored by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley that will provide benefits to caregivers of severely injured veterans, improve care for female veterans, assist homeless veterans, and

Merkley, Wyden Introduce Bill to Aid Recovery for Timber Communities

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden introduced legislation to help Oregon timber companies remain competitive and sustain economic growth.  The Forest Harvest Opportunity Act will extend already-existing contracts to companies to harvest timber on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands when prices rebound rather than

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