Press Releases

Risch, Merkley Introduce Bill to Remove Roadblocks for Youth Corps Public Lands Projects

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation to reduce federal cost-sharing requirements for public lands projects performed by qualified youth or conservation corps from 25% to 10%. “Current cost-sharing requirements prevent youth conservation corps from carrying out important public lands projects,” said Risch. “My bill reduces this

Bynum and Merkley Introduce Legislation to Protect the Deschutes River

Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Deschutes River Conservancy Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bill reauthorizes the Deschutes River Conservancy’s (DRC) eligibility to receive federal funding for water quality improvement initiatives and conservation efforts. Since its founding in 1996, the DRC and

Salinas Bill to Amend Grand Ronde Reservation Act Passes Senate, Will Become Law

Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) announced her legislation with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act, which restores the right to pursue land claims and compensation for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, has cleared both chambers of Congress. The legislation now heads to President Biden to be signed

Merkley, Daines, Colleagues Call on Biden Administration to Protect Communities from Dangers of Wildfire Smoke, Preserve Practice of Prescribed Fire

Washington D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Montana’s U.S. Senator Steve Daines led 15 of their colleagues in a bipartisan letter to Biden administration officials urging the continued use of prescribed fires to protect communities from the negative impacts of catastrophic wildfires. “For decades, western states have faced smoke filled

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