Press Releases

Merkley, Mannion Champion Legislation to Make Mental Health Care Accessible for Every Student in America 

Washington, D.C. – During Mental Health Awareness Month, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman John Mannion (NY-22) announced the reintroduction of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act, legislation that would significantly boost the availability of mental health providers in America’s public schools. Mental illness affects nearly 20 percent of American youth. This bicameral legislation would put additional mental health providers in elementary and

Forty-One Senators Push to Keep Harmful Environmental Riders Out of Appropriations Bills

Senators warn that inclusion of poison pills harming the environment would undermine Senate’s ability to pass bipartisan spending bills Washington, D.C. – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,

Merkley Secures Display of January 6 Plaque Inside U.S. Capitol Following Passage of His Bipartisan Resolution

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced the installation of a commemorative plaque to honor the heroism of the Capitol police and other officers who defended the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021:  “We must be honest with the American people about what happened during the horrific events of January 6th. That demands recognizing those brave officers who protected the U.S. Capitol from violent insurrectionists

Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Reintroduce Updated DISCLOSE Act to End Corrupting Influence of Dark Money in American Elections 

185 Democrats support effort to empower voters and expose billionaire and special interest control over our government and courts  Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined a bicameral group of Democrats in reintroducing the DISCLOSE Act, legislation to shine a bright light of transparency on the scourge of dark money in politics and make government more

Ranking Members Heinrich and Merkley Demand Answers from Trump Administration on Efforts to Erase History on Public Lands

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) demanding answers from the National Park Service (NPS) following reports that

Merkley Investigates Chemical Industry Insiders Taking Over Critical EPA Chemical Safety Office

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) subcommittee overseeing environmental justice, chemical safety, and waste management—today sent an oversight letter following reports of former chemical industry lobbyists filling key positions at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical

Merkley: Senate Refuses to Stop Unauthorized War with Iran

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—released the following statement after the Senate voted to block U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)’s War Powers Resolutionaimed at stopping the unauthorized U.S.-Israel war in Iran: “The Trump Administration has repeatedly misled the American people about its plans for war against

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