Merkley, Williams, Booker Lead Push to Close Constitutional Loophole Allowing for Slavery
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (GA-05) today teamed up with New Jersey’s U.S. Senator Cory Booker to reintroduce the End the Exception Amendment. The bicameral resolution would strike the ‘Slavery Clause’ of the 13th Amendment, a constitutional loophole that allows slavery “as a punishment
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Protect Agricultural Water Access Amid Worsening Drought in Oregon
Legislation would help upgrade outdated water infrastructure systems to support agriculture Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced legislation that would help improve water resilience in communities across Oregon and the West as drought in the region persists after last year’s record-low snowpack. “Water scarcity
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge Supreme Court to Block Postal Service Rule Limiting Mail-In Voting
261 Members and former Members file bicameral, bipartisan brief as court order barring Postal Service rule limiting mail voting is being challenged by Trump’s DOJ Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of 261 current and former Members of Congress challenging
Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Aid Workers in Conflict Zones
WASHINGTON – Today, on Human Rights Day, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to protect humanitarian aid workers operating in conflict zones. The lawmakers’ legislation, the Commitment to Aid Workers Act, would strengthen U.S. efforts to safeguard those who risk their
Senate Republicans Block Merkley’s Bill to Prevent War with Venezuela
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of his Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, which would block federal funds from being used for military actions in Venezuela: “As the Constitution so clearly says, Congress has the power
Senators Blunt Rochester, Merkley, Warnock Introduce Bill to Repair Infrastructure, Bridge Communities
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program,
Following Republican Hemp Ban, Wyden, Merkley Reintroduce Bill to Keep Hemp on Market with Strong Consumer Protections
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today reintroduced legislation that would return hemp to the market and create national safety standards for hemp-derived products, keep these products out of the hands of children, and ban unsafe, untested hemp products. Reintroduction of the Cannabinoid Safety and Regulation
Wyden, Merkley Applaud House Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize Secure Rural Schools Program
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today applauded the House passage of his bipartisan legislation introduced with Senators Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and James Risch, R-Idaho, to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and ensure rural, forested communities across Oregon and the country receive funding
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Stop Trump Administration Replacing Immigration Judges with Inexperienced Attorneys
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are joining their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation that would prevent Donald Trump from abusing loopholes to appoint inexperienced attorneys as temporary immigration judges. The Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act aims to close loopholes the Trump administration