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Bennet, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Halt Transfer of ICE Detainees, Slow Spread of COVID-19 in ICE Facilities

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the End Transfers of Detained Immigrants Act, legislation to immediately prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from transferring immigrant detainees between ICE facilities or to federal, state, and local prisons during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The legislation also requires that if physical

Oregon Members Demand Answers on Reports of DHS Spying on Portland Protesters’ Phones

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, with Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici, today demanded answers from the Department of Homeland Security, following new reports that the department spied on Portland protesters’ phones. “These recent reports, which allege that DHS has deployed high-tech surveillance technologies against protesters in Portland,

Wyden, Merkley Lead Western Democrats, Committee Leaders in Asking Donald Trump to Further Mobilize the Federal Response to Unprecedented Wildfires Ravaging the West

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D- Ore., today led Western Democrats and Ranking Members of key Senate Committees on wildfire relief and prevention in asking Donald Trump to provide additional federal assistance to improve the response to the wildfires and assist the states, Tribes and communities grappling

Wyden, Merkley, Blumenauer, DeFazio Introduce Legislation to Ensure Equal Access to Disaster Relief for Cannabis Businesses

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., today introduced legislation that would ensure state-legal cannabis businesses can qualify for disaster recovery programs like any other business. As wildfires continue to rage across the West, law-abiding, state-legal cannabis businesses in Oregon and elsewhere are shut out

4 Oregon Dems introduce bill to include cannabis in disaster relief

Oregon politicians are moving to make state-legal cannabis businesses eligible for federal disaster relief. At least seven licensed adult-use cannabis businesses in the state were destroyed in this month’s wildfires. Others were damaged and are facing continuing disruption. The businesses are not eligible for federal assistance because THC cannabis (generally referred to as

Merkley, Wyden intro bill to bar federal law enforcement camouflage uniforms

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., along with 32 Senate Democratic colleagues, introduced legislation Thursday to prohibit federal law enforcement officers from wearing camouflage patterns in the U.S. in most cases, since they can easily be confused for military personnel or even extremist para-military groups when

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