Standing Up for Human and Civil Rights

Senators Call for Hearing on LGBT Anti-Discrimination Bill

Washington, DC- United States Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Robert Casey (D-PA), and Susan Collins (R-ME) called on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee leadership to hold a hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). In a letter to  Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking

Merkley Applauds Obama on Marriage Equality

Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after reports that President Barack Obama has announced support for marriage equality:  “I applaud President Obama for voicing his support for marriage equality. This is an issue of fundamental fairness for the men and women who seek to create a

Merkley Statement on the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act

Washington, DC- Today, the Senate reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, which funds key programs to combat domestic and sexual violence. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after passage of the bill. “The Violence Against Women Act has been extremely successful. Since 1994, when the bill first was

Merkley Pushes Back Against Proposed Cuts to National Guard Counterdrug Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley sent a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee calling on them to preserve funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program. The program has been critical to detecting and disrupting drug activity, particularly large-scale marijuana growing

Merkley Statement on Administration’s Inaction on Barring Employment Discrimination

Washington, DC– Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the lead sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, issued the following statement after reports that the Obama Administration won’t take action to bar federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT workers.  “I am deeply disappointed that the Administration will allow companies that accept federal contracts

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