Tag: Education

Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici Urge President Biden to Deliver Much-Needed Relief by Extending Pause on Federal Student Loan Payments, Interest

June 24, 2021

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), this week urged President Biden to provide student loan borrowers with urgently needed relief by extending the current pause on payments and interest for federally held student loans. “The suspension of payments and

Oregon Delegation: 31 Counties in State Receive More Than $39 Million in Secure Rural School Funding

April 5, 2021

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici and Kurt Schrader said today that 31 Oregon counties will receive about $39.3 million in Secure Rural Schools (SRS) payments for schools, roads, law enforcement and other essential services. These

Merkley Votes to Pass the American Rescue Plan to Send Stimulus Checks to Struggling Americans, Support Frontline Workers and Main Street Businesses, Open Schools Safely, and Establish National Vaccine Distribution Strategy

March 6, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after a marathon of votes that culminated in the Senate passage of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan: “Good news, America: Relief is finally on the way. The American Rescue Plan is going to put money in people’s pockets, vaccines in

Merkley Votes to Advance Plan to Deliver Stimulus Checks to Struggling Americans, Support Frontline Workers and Main Street Businesses, Re-open Schools, and Speed Vaccinations

February 5, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement today following his vote to advance the process for the latest coronavirus relief proposal, which would provide badly-needed aid to help Americans make it through the pandemic: “I am deeply grateful to the public health workers and researchers who are working tirelessly around

Wyden, Merkley: President Biden Can and Should Cancel up to $50,000 in Federal Student Loan Debt Immediately

February 4, 2021

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined colleagues in reintroducing a resolution outlining a bold plan for President Biden to tackle the student loan debt crisis by using his authority to cancel up to $50,000 in student loan debt for Federal student loan borrowers.

Merkley, Colleagues Seek $130 Billion Funding Boost for Local School Infrastructure

February 1, 2021

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley has joined a group of his colleagues to introduce the Reopen and Rebuild America’s Schools Act—legislation that would invest $130 billion in modernizing classrooms across the country and would help schools complete critical physical and digital infrastructure upgrades. Crumbling, outdated school infrastructure makes it tougher for students,

Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge DeVos to Help 8.2 Million Federal Student Loan Borrowers Currently Unable to Access Relief

October 22, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden are among 34 Senate Democrats urging Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to ensure all struggling federal student borrowers can gain access to crucial federal relief. Since March, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act has provided forbearance,

Under Pressure From Merkley and Colleagues, USDA Agrees to Extend School Nutrition Program Through End of 2020-2021 School Year

October 14, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today applauded the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to extend school meal waivers through the end of the 2020-2021 school year. The announcement follows a pressure campaign by Merkley and his colleagues, which included multiple letters to the USDA, urging

Wyden, Merkley Announce $150 Million for Low-Income Students Across Oregon

September 30, 2020

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced schools across Oregon will receive over $150 million in federal support to better educate low-income students. “As schools grapple with serving a quality education to their students in the middle of a global pandemic, it’s unfortunately become even easier

Merkley, Wyden Urge School Nutrition Program Extension for 2020-2021 School Year

September 1, 2020

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and 27 of their Democratic Senate colleagues are calling for a full extension of school meal waivers through the end of the 2020-2021 school year so that schools have the flexibility that they need to fully serve students whether or