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.
Merkley, Wyden, Hoyle Urge Samaritan Health to Keep Full Labor and Delivery Services for Oregonians
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), are calling on Samaritan Health Services to maintain rural and coastal Oregonians’ full access to labor and delivery services. Amidst internal discussions by the Samaritan Health Service’s board, the lawmakers sent a letter to new
Merkley, Collins Cheer Committee Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Wipe Out Non-Flushables from Wastewater Infrastructure
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maine’s U.S. Senator Susan Collins announced that their bipartisan, bicameral Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act cleared a key hurdle by passing out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The WIPPES Act would address
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Slam Trump Administration’s Attacks on Senior Nutrition Programs
“The cuts will exacerbate hunger, poor health, and social isolation” Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore, said today they have joined fellow Senate leaders to call on Republicans to reconsider disastrous cuts and attacks on programs and agencies that support seniors with food assistance among other necessities. “We are writing today to express our
Merkley, Welch, Sanders, Dingell Team Up to Introduce Bill to Lower Prescription Drug Prices for All Americans
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Vermont’s U.S. Senator Peter Welch, and Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Bernie Sanders (I-VT), joined forces with U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI-06) to introduce the End Price Gouging for Medications Act. The bicameral bill would
Senator Welch, Oregon Governor Kotek, Sens. Klobuchar, Luján, Wyden, and Merkley Host Press Call on Republicans’ Attack on SNAP, Nutrition Programs
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Nutrition and Specialty
Wyden, Merkley Co-Sponsor Legislation to Ban Conversion Therapy
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore) today announced they are co-sponsoring legislation that would ban so-called “conversion therapy,” a practice fraudulently claiming to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. “Forcing Americans into sham therapy for a non-existent illness is medieval quackery, not modern