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

Wyden, Merkley Announce $40 Million To Boost Geothermal Energy in Oregon

Washington, D.C. – Continuing efforts to advance alternative energy resources and break our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced nearly $40 million in Recovery Act funding for the exploration and development of geothermal energy technologies in Oregon. “This funding

Merkley Applauds Inclusion of Public Option in Merged Senate Legislation

Washington, DC – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced today that health care reform legislation to be considered by the full Senate will include a public option.  Under this version, states would be able to opt-out of the program. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Health, Education,

Banking on Our Small Businesses

Washington, DC – To get lending going again, Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced legislation Wednesday that will assist community banks in extending credit to small businesses and consumers, urging economic growth and assisting in job creation.  By allocating existing TARP funds under a new Community Credit

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