Tag: Health Care

Senators Coons, Merkley introduce bill to expand ACA small business tax credit

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation on Thursday to help small business owners who want to provide health insurance to their workers. The Small Business Tax Credit Accessibility Act would expand and simplify the Affordable Care Act’s small business tax credit, making it

Lawmakers push for stronger regulations on e-cigarettes

PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) – A group of U.S. senators are urging the FDA to regulate e-cigarettes after a new study reportedly shows high levels of cancer causing formaldehyde can be present in “vaping.” The study from Portland State University claims that high levels of a hidden form of the carcinogen formaldehyde can

Merkley Leads Senate Group Urging FDA to Regulate Electronic Cigarettes

Washington, DC – Today, Senator Jeff Merkley joined with Senators Boxer (D-CA), Blumenthal (D-CT), Brown (D-OH), Durbin (D-IL), Markey (D-MA) to send a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner urging the FDA to finalize its plan for regulating e-cigarettes. The Senators pointed to a new study from

Merkley Announces Funding to Improve Oregon Health Centers

WASHINGTON, DC — Today Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced that the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded over $900,000 to community health centers (CHCs) in Medford, North Bend, Clackamas County and Multnomah County to improve the facilities, allow for new construction and deliver better coordinated care. The funding will

Lawmakers must crack down on toxic chemicals: Guest opinion

As a biomedical researcher, I’m frustrated by lax control of chemicals. Federal law still allows chemicals to be used in products from toys to pizza boxes without sufficient data on their effects on human health. As a result, new chemicals are introduced into use at a pace far beyond the

Merkley Introduces New Legislation to Protect Families’ and Children’s Health

WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced a bill that would fast-track the phase-out of the most harmful chemicals identified by scientists – chemicals that don’t break down in the environment and that build up in the food chain so that even small amounts can be dangerous. Known as persistent,

Following Senate Vote, Merkley Vows to Keep Fighting for Women’s Health Care

WASHINGTON – After a minority of Senators voted to filibuster debate on a bill that would undo the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision threatening women’s access to contraception, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement: “It’s outrageous that a minority of Senators are blocking us from debating a bill

Merkley Fights Back Against Hobby Lobby Ruling

Washington, DC- Today Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley fought back against last week’s Supreme Court decision in the case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby by announcing that he is cosponsoring legislation that would restore employees’ access to birth control coverage.  “It’s unacceptable that the Supreme Court has put contraceptive coverage in

en_USEnglish