Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Raise Concerns about Forest Service Reorganization
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, led over 30 of his colleagues—including Senator Ron Wyden—in raising strong concerns about the reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We write with
Merkley: Republican Budget Resolution Ignores the Needs of Working Families
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the below statement after Senate Republicans voted to pass their Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Resolution that will enable a reconciliation bill to provide up to $140 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and
After Reports of 3 Political Candidates Trading on their Elections, Merkley Renews Call to Ban Election Gambling
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—who has long sounded the alarm on election betting—released the following statement after prediction market firm Kalshi reported three instances of political candidates betting on their own elections: “Election betting is a bad bet for democracy—plain and simple. Since 2023, I have been concerned
Sens. Wicker, Merkley Introduce Bipartisan Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Co-Chairs of the Senate Nursing Caucus, introduced the Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act. This legislation would ensure that nurses in the federal Nurse Corps do not need to pay income tax on their student loan repayments and scholarships. “Nurses are essential to
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Demand Trump Administration Halt Illegal Student Visa Revocations
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore, said today they have joined Senate colleagues to demand that the Trump Administration stop its illegal slashing of student visas. After learning federal agencies have been revoking student visas and terminating Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
Merkley, Waters Launch New Effort to Boost Congress’ Oversight of Trump’s Mass Firings
Washington, D.C. – As the Trump Administration continues mass firings of federal employees, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today introduced first-of-its-kind legislation to strengthen Congress’ authority to protect workers and override federal staffing cuts implemented without consultation. The Reduction in Force (RIF) Review Act empowers Congress to overrule any president’s workforce cuts at all federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, Environmental
Warren, Merkley, Blunt Rochester Lead 19 Senators Pressing Trump on How His Chaotic Tariffs are Raising Americans’ Housing Prices
“America is in the midst of a nationwide housing shortage … your reckless trade policies will only make the crisis worse.” Read letter here Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member
Merkley, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Save Taxpayers’ Money by Eliminating Penny Production
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Utah’s Senator Mike Lee introduced bipartisan legislation today that would advance responsible spending by ending production of the penny. Striking the penny has become increasingly costly, and the Make Sense Not Cents Act would permanently eliminate this wasteful spending. Each penny costs nearly 4 cents to make—a number that has risen more than 20
Wyden, Merkley Demand Trump Administration Reverse Public Safety Cuts in Oregon and Nationwide
Citing loss of a federal grant for the Union County DA’s Office, Oregon senators write that “poorly thought out and rash cuts like this will only serve to embolden fentanyl traffickers and decrease public safety.” Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today demanded the Trump administration