Category: Press Releases

Merkley Meets with DHS Secretary Nominee Mayorkas, Underscores Need to Restore Human Rights and Decency to Immigration Policy

January 5, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, who set off a national firestorm by shedding light on the child separation policy and other human rights abuses being committed by the Trump administration along the southern border, released the following statement today after meeting virtually with Alejandro Mayorkas, President-elect Biden’s

Merkley Sworn in for Third Term, Urges 117th Congress to Help America’s Families, Businesses Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic

January 3, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, as the 117th Congress formally convened in the nation’s capital, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after being sworn in for his third six-year term serving Oregonians in the U.S. Senate: “This is one of our nation’s darkest winters. More than 300,000 Americans

Merkley, Wyden Announce Key Wins for Everyone who Relies on Oregon’s Waterways and Ports

December 23, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley—who serves on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and on the Senate Appropriations Committee—and Ron Wyden today announced that the full Senate has passed the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which includes a number of key provisions that will benefit Oregonians.

Merkley, Wyden Announce Investments in Rural Communities Included in Spending Bill

December 22, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley—who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on agriculture and rural development—and Ron Wyden today announced that the Senate has passed a fiscal year 2021 agriculture spending bill that will benefit Oregon’s farms and families. The next step for

Merkley, Wyden Announce Major Investments in Oregon Communities Included in Spending Package

December 22, 2020

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley—who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee—and Ron Wyden today announced a wide range of investments that will benefit Oregon and are included in the fiscal year 2021 spending bill that has passed the Senate. The next step is for the president to

Merkley, Colleagues Push 22 Financial Services Companies to Prioritize American Health, Safety, Economic Security by Not Insuring Arctic Drilling

December 21, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley teamed up with U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to press executives of 22 financial services companies to not insure any oil and gas developments in the Arctic National

Following Trump Team’s Unprecedented Corruption, Merkley, Warren, Markey Urge Incoming Biden Administration to Set New, High Ethical Standard

December 21, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the wake of the Trump administration’s widespread corruption, self-dealing, and law-breaking, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley, Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Edward J. Markey (D-MA)—a group of senators who have long championed strong federal ethics standards and the For the People Act—are urging the incoming Biden administration to champion

Merkley Announces Deal on Long-Overdue Coronavirus Relief Bill

December 20, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced a long-overdue deal for a coronavirus relief bill, which will provide Americans with desperately needed resources as they struggle through the third, deadliest wave of the global pandemic. Merkley also noted that at $900 billion, the relief falls far short

Merkley Welcomes Appointment of Environmental Justice Champions to Key Positions

December 19, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, who serves on both the Senate Special Committee on the Climate Crisis and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and is a member of the Senate Environmental Justice Caucus, today issued a statement following President-elect Joe Biden’s announcement that he will appoint

Merkley, Sasse Unveil Urgently Needed Legislation to Crack Down on Online Sexual Exploitation

December 18, 2020

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) today introduced the Stop Internet Sexual Exploitation Act, groundbreaking legislation that would require all online platforms that host pornography to put in place critical safeguards to protect Americans from sexual exploitation online. The introduction follows disturbing