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 Help Save Oregon Manufacturing Jobs

Washington, D.C. – Fighting against a decision by the Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) that would have devastated Oregon knife manufacturers, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) saw the amendment they co-sponsored to prohibit the reclassification of certain knives as switchblades included in the final FY

Merkley, Corker Introduce Legislation to Audit the Fed, Protect Taxpayer Dollars

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the wake of the Federal Reserve’s extraordinary actions last year to stabilize the financial system, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Bob Corker (R-TN), members of the Senate Banking Committee, today introduced legislation that will require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an audit of

Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Clears Senate and Heads For President’s Desk

Washington, D.C. – Working to improve Oregon’s waterways and alternative energy technology capabilities, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced today that the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is on its way to the President’s desk for signature. The bill, which includes nearly

Merkley Joins Effort to Provide Assistance to Unemployed Oregonians

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that he has co-sponsored legislation to extend assistance to those currently unemployed.  The legislation will provide up to an additional twenty weeks of unemployment insurance benefits to Oregonians who have exhausted their benefits by the end of December 2009.  “During these

Merkley And Dodd: New Consumer Protections Vital For Growing The Economy

Portland, OR – Abusive financial practices are weakening our economy and bankrupting consumers.  America needs a robust Consumer Financial Protection Agency that will even the playing field for consumers and bolster the economy. That was the assessment of consumer advocates and Oregonians in a roundtable discussion today with U.S. Senators

Merkley Joins Effort to Assist Soldiers Stationed Overseas with Homeownership

WASHINGTON, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that he is co-sponsoring the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009 to provide homeownership assistance to service members who are currently stationed overseas.  The bill would extend for one year the deadline of the First Time Homeowner Tax Credits

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