When Jeff first took on the challenge of running for the Oregon State Legislature, one of the reasons was because he wanted to build a better education system for his young children. And as the first in his family to go to college, Jeff knows that affordable access to higher education is critical to the success of the middle class.
Education is a major factor in determining whether our children and our nation succeed in today’s increasingly competitive global economy. As a country, we need to do a better job of supporting teachers, giving them the resources they need to provide the best possible environment for teaching our children, and ensuring that no capable student has to give up his or her dreams of higher education because of a lack of affordability.
Wyden, Merkley Blast Trump Administration for Illegally Ending Program to Help Students with Disabilities
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today said they are joining their colleagues in pressing the Trump administration on its illegal efforts to shut down the Department of Education’s administration and enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees educational opportunities and protections
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Pause Student Loans for Federal Workers, Contractors, and Military During Ongoing Trump Shutdown
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., said today they are introducing legislation that would pause student loan payments for federal workers when a federal government shutdown lasts longer than two weeks. “While Donald Trump and his Republican yes-men aren’t lifting a finger to stop
Following Push by Wyden and Merkley, Watchdog Agency Opens Investigation into DOGE Accessing Sensitive Data on Student Loan Borrowers
Washington, D.C. — Following a push by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, a watchdog agency has agreed to open an investigation into DOGE accessing sensitive data on student loan borrowers by infiltrating the Department of Education’s internal systems. “Given the sensitive nature of the data [ED] holds, it
Merkley, Wyden Join Colleagues to Champion Expanding Head Start for Working Families
Washington, D.C. – As the Trump Administration continues to attack and undermine Head Start, Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today they joined their Senate colleagues to introduce the Head Start for America’s Children Act. This sweeping legislation would expand Head Start to ensure that more than 11
Bynum, Merkley, Wyden Demand Funding for Kids with Disabilities in Central Oregon Be Restored
Washington, DC – Today, after the Trump Administration announced the termination of a grant for the Central Oregon Disability Support Network, Inc. (CODSN), Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) led a letter to the U.S. Department of Education demanding the reinstatement of the federal funding. CODSN is an organization that has provided essential support to
Merkley, Warnock Lead Bipartisan Effort Urging Education Department to Release Federal Grants Supporting Low-Income Students Nationwide
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Georgia’s U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock spearheaded a bipartisan group of 34 Senators in demanding Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought immediately release critical grant funding for TRIO programs, a long-standing
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