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 Statement on HUD Money to Keep Oregonians in Their Homes
Portland – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement on the nearly $800,000 awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to the Northwest Oregon Housing Authority. : “This money doesn’t just pay for rent, it buys stability for these families. Displacement is a burden that can
Merkley Introduces Bill to Stop Deceptive Loan Checks
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Deceptive Loan Check Elimination Act Thursday to prohibit companies from sending “live” loan checks to consumers. In these schemes, financial institutions send unsuspecting customers a check made out to them for some amount. Customers often assume that their financial institutions have
Merkley Statement on Confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined 67 of his colleagues in voting to confirm Judge Sonia Sotomayor as the newest justice on the United States Supreme Court. After the vote, Merkley issued the following statement: “As as our nation’s first Hispanic Justice, this is a historic confirmation.
Agriculture Appropriations Bill Passed by Senate Includes Funding for Oregon Projects
Washington, D.C. – Working to improve agricultural research capabilities in Oregon, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D- Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D- Ore.) announced that an agriculture appropriations bill passed by the U.S. Senate contains more than nearly $7 million in projects for Oregon. Included in the bill is funding for
Merkley, Wyden Announce Millions in Recovery Act Funding for Oregon Energy Projects
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced today that the Department of Energy has awarded millions in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create jobs and jump-start energy projects in Oregon. Projects include the production of the next generation of electric
Merkley, Collins, Kennedy, Snowe Introduce Legislation To End Workplace Discrimination
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senators Jeff Merkley (OR), Susan Collins (ME), Edward M. Kennedy (MA) and Olympia Snowe (ME) introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to finally prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. They were joined in this effort by 34 other members of the Senate. “There
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