Press Releases

Ranking Member Merkley: Interior-Environment Funding Bill Boosts Wildfire Resiliency, Water Infrastructure, and Climate Investments in Oregon and Across the Nation

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Interior-Environment Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Appropriations bill in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 82-15: “Oregonians turned out in record numbers during my town halls last year and delivered

Merkley, Sullivan, Curtis, Kaine Push for Bipartisan Crackdown on Chinese Government-Controlled Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in U.S.

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—teamed up with current CECC Chair Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Senator John Curtis (R-UT), and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to introduce bipartisan legislation that

Merkley: Water Infrastructure Bill is Strong Investment in Oregon’s Future

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. WRDA is critical, bipartisan legislation that authorizes US Army Corp of Engineers’ (USACE) projects throughout the country. These projects maintain Oregon’s

Merkley, Kamlager-Dove Introduce Legislation to Protect Children in Government Custody

Bicameral bill strengthens standards to ensure safety and well-being of migrant children prioritized Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA-37) today led colleagues in the introduction of the Children’s Safe Welcome Act of 2024. The bicameral Children’s Safe Welcome Act embeds child welfare

Wyden, Merkley: NOAA Selects OMSI as Regional/National Heat Monitoring Center

Washington D.C.— U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland will be NOAA’s Pacific Northwest hub for the Center for Collaborative Heat Monitoring, gathering local temperature data to support heat resilience in Oregon and throughout the country.  “As the climate

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call to Strengthen Federal Pell Grant Program

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues in calling on the Senate Appropriations Committee to secure funding for the Pell Grant program for Fiscal Year 2025.  In the letter, the senators request a discretionary increase to the award as Congress works towards doubling the Pell

Merkley, Wyden Tout $9.8 Million Coming to Oregon for Brownfield Cleanup

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced $9,806,847 is coming to the state from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support cleanup projects at brownfields sites, land that has been previously polluted or contaminated. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Merkley and Wyden championed, added

Wyden, Merkley Announce $5.5 Million to Replace Aging Water Infrastructure in Oregon

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today that Oregon will receive $5.5 million in federal funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to replace aging water delivery infrastructure in communities across Oregon. “Access to reliable and safe water is essential for communities to thrive in rural and

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