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 Applauds Obama for Taking Important Steps Toward Addressing Global Warming

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson announced today that the agency is proposing a major finding on global warming that lays the groundwork for efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The EPA’s proposed finding concludes that greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger

Merkley Calls for Swift Action to Address Record Foreclosures

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement Thursday regarding the announcement that the number of families getting a foreclosure notice in the mail is at its highest level in American history: “The already dismal foreclosure crisis in America is getting dramatically worse.  “The core of the

Merkley: Workers Deserve Tax Fairness

Washington, DC – On Tax Day 2009, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement about the current state of the federal tax system: “Over the last few months, we’ve seen a skyrocketing unemployment rate in Oregon and major instability in the American economy.  And for years before that, we

Merkley Announces Salem And Bend Offices And Field Representatives

Portland Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that his Salem and Bend offices are now open for business. Katie Gauthier in Salem will be his field representative for Lincoln, Marion, Polk, Tillamook and Yamhill counties.Jonathan Manton in Bend will be his field representative for Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson,

Merkley: March Jobless Numbers Underscore Urgent Need to Invest in Our Workers

Washington, DC – New jobs numbers released today show that Oregon’s unemployment rate rose from 10.7% in February to 12.1% in March.  In just nine months, Oregon’s unemployment rate has doubled, leaving tens of thousands of Oregonians out of work. “While anyone living in Oregon knows times are tough, Oregon’s

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