Press Releases

Merkley, Oregon Delegation Decry Sudden Loss of Columbia River Hatchery Funding 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and the Oregon Congressional Delegation members Senator Ron Wyden, and Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Janelle Bynum (OR-05), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), and Maxine Dexter (OR-03) decried the decision of Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to abruptly end its participation in the Safe Area Fisheries Enhancement (SAFE) program. The SAFE program has been operational since 1993, and provides reliable stocks

Peters, Schumer, Murray & Merkley Lead Senate Democrats in Demanding OMB Rescind Rule Giving President Sweeping Power to Politicize Federal Grants

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Democratic Leader; Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, led the entire Senate Democratic caucus in demanding

Oregon Delegation Pushes for USDA Disaster Declaration, More Federal Resources to Respond to Oregon Wildfires

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s entire Congressional delegation—U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Val Hoyle, Andrea Salinas, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, and Cliff Bentz—sent a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urging approval of Oregon Governor Tina Kotek’s request for a disaster declaration for Oregon counties facing devastating wildfires.

Merkley, Wyden Welcome $400 Million to Combat Historic Western Drought

USDA’s New Water Savings Commodity Program Follows Call from Oregon, Colorado, New Mexico, California, Arizona, Nevada, & Montana Lawmakers in April Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden welcomed the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement of $400 million to address drought through investments at the

Merkley, Colleagues Launch Effort to Increase Charging Stations at Highway Rest Areas

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—along with Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ron Wyden (D-OR)—introduced the Recharge your Electric Car on the Highway to Alleviate Range Gaps Effectively (RECHARGE) Act. Currently, locations for electrical vehicle (EV) charging stations along interstate highways are limited by federal law

Merkley Introduces Legislation to Curb Plastic Microfiber Pollution from Laundry

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today introduced the Fighting Fibers Act of 2024 to address microfiber pollution from clothing. Scientists estimate millions of tons of microfibers enter the ocean every year—making textiles the largest known source of marine microplastic pollution. The Fighting Fibers Act focuses on one

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