The carbon pollution in our atmosphere from burning fossil fuels like oil and coal is waging a direct and unchecked assault on our farming, fishing and forests – the cornerstones of Oregon’s rural economy.
When Jeff was young, his dad worked as a millwright. He spent his childhood in Southern Oregon timber communities, where timber jobs were what put food on the table and kept roofs over folks’ head. Fires and insect infestations are already killing trees at alarming rates across the Northwest, and climate change will only make these threats to our forests worse. Other iconic Oregon industries like our coastal oyster hatcheries are threatened by ocean acidification, and fishing and farming alike are facing threats from declining snowpacks and increased drought.
Congress needs to wake up. Climate change is real, and it’s bad for our economy and jobs, especially in rural Oregon and the places that most depend on our abundant natural resources.
Rep. Levin & Sen. Merkley Introduce New Bill to Prevent Taxpayer Dollars from Reimbursing Oil Companies in Venezuela
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) introduced the Protecting Taxpayers from Risky Investments in Venezuela Act to prevent American taxpayer dollars from being used to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure without Congressional approval. Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced the Senate companion of this bill. Following the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, President Trump
Rep. Mike Levin, Sen. Jeff Merkley to Introduce New Bill to Prevent Taxpayer Dollars from Being Used by Oil Companies in Venezuela
Washington, D.C.—Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) announced that he plans to introduce new legislation in the coming weeks that would prevent American taxpayer dollars from being used to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure for the benefit of Big Oil companies. Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley will pursue the Senate companion of this
Merkley Statement on House & Senate Negotiated Interior-Environment FY 2026 Appropriations Bill
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, the Ranking Member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after the House and Senate negotiated text of the Interior-Environment FY 2026 Appropriations bill was released: “This bill is far superior to a Continuing Resolution for funding the core programs
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to End Staffing Crisis at Fish and Wildlife Service, Warn of Devastating Impacts to Ecosystems and Public Lands
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)—the top Democrat overseeing funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)—and U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR)—former chairman and current senior member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources—joined their colleagues in urging the administration to immediately address and reverse the
Merkley, Marshall Launch New Bipartisan Effort to Unlock Federal Support for Hazardous Cleanup Following Wildfires
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Kansas’ U.S. Senator Roger Marshall introduced the brand-new Post-Wildfire Environmental Assistance Act. The bipartisan bill provides a straightforward solution for communities in Oregon and across the nation to access federal aid for hazardous material cleanup following a wildfire. “Fighting wildfires
Merkley, Klobuchar, Heinrich, Colleagues: Trump Staffing Cuts at Forest Service Threatening Wildfire Prevention Efforts Across the U.S.
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-NM) led 9 Senators to demand urgent answers from U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz regarding
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