Jeff believes access to quality, affordable health care is not a privilege, but a human right. Jeff’s perspective on health care has been influenced by his wife, Mary, a registered nurse, who sees the world through the eyes of her patients: the people who should be at the heart of our health care system.
Throughout his career, Jeff has fought to expand access to quality, affordable health care coverage. As Speaker of the Oregon House, Jeff lowered prescription drug prices by expanding the state’s bulk purchasing program and fought to expand and improve children’s health care coverage. Jeff continues working to improve health care quality and coverage for all Oregonians in the U.S. Senate.
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Request Report Detailing Looming Health Insurance Impacts Following Unprecedented Republican-Led Cuts to Medicaid, Premium Tax Credits
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he is leading Senate colleagues, including Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., in requesting a detailed analysis of how Republican-led cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act will affect Americans’ health insurance plans. “We are deeply concerned about the impacts of actions that Trump and Republicans
Merkley CALLS OUT GOP for Slashing Medicaid – “This is WRONG”
Senator Merkley spoke about the critical importance of protecting health care for people in Oregon and across the country at a press conference on July 31, 2025. Watch the full press conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD5aU6IPE0s
As Trump Puts Americans’ Medical Debt Back on Credit Reports, Merkley, Williams, Correa Fight for Patients & Consumer Protections
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today partnered with U.S. Representatives Nikema Williams (GA-05) and Lou Correa (CA-46) to push back against recent efforts by the Trump Administration to roll back federal protections aiming to keep medical debt off Americans’ credit reports. Their Medical Debt Relief Act would ban all medical debt from
Merkley, Wyden Advocate for Affordable Child Care
As Republicans deliver massive tax breaks for billionaires and kick Americans off their health care, Democrats continue their fight to help families find and afford child care Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden said today they cosponsored the Child Care for Working Families Act, comprehensive legislation
CBO Reports the Final “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Tally Will Add $3.4 Trillion to Deficits Over 10 Years
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the below statement following analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) showing that the final version of the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” that was signed into law will increase the debt by
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Demand Answers on Trump Admin Re-Adding Medical Debt onto Credit Reports
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) led 26 other senators—including Ron Wyden (D-OR)—to push the Trump Administration for answers regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) intent to roll back
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