Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Aid Workers in Conflict Zones
WASHINGTON – Today, on Human Rights Day, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to protect humanitarian aid workers operating in conflict zones. The lawmakers’ legislation, the Commitment to Aid Workers Act, would strengthen U.S. efforts to safeguard those who risk their
Senate Republicans Block Merkley’s Bill to Prevent War with Venezuela
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of his Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, which would block federal funds from being used for military actions in Venezuela: “As the Constitution so clearly says, Congress has the power
Senators Blunt Rochester, Merkley, Warnock Introduce Bill to Repair Infrastructure, Bridge Communities
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program,
Merkley, Colleagues Push to Keep Fossil Fuel Permitting Changes Off of Key End-of-Year Legislation
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, along with Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi urging them to not include
Wyden, Merkley Announce New River Democracy Act
Updated maps can be found here. Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced a new River Democracy Act that reflects input from communities across Oregon over the past year to update the total mileage of rivers and streams in Oregon that would be added to the national Wild and Scenic Rivers
Merkley Announces Nearly $560,000 for West Coast Monarch Butterfly and Pollinator Conservation
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley announced $557,600 in federal funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)’s Monarch and Pollinator Fund to increase and improve western monarch butterfly and pollinator habitats in Oregon and California. Today’s grants will come from a new pool of funding that
Merkley Statement on Need for Sick Leave for Railroad Workers
Washington D.C. – After the Senate voted on a forced labor agreement between railroad corporations and workers that excluded reasonable sick leave, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement: “I voted no. It is completely messed up that our rail workers are on continuous call, have no sick
Booker, Huffman, Merkley, Lowenthal Introduce Legislation to Address Plastic Production Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-2nd), together with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA-47th), introduced the Protecting Communities from Plastics Act, legislation that addresses the plastic production crisis that is fueling climate change and perpetuating environmental injustice. With plastic production and
Wyden, Merkley: $400,000 to Gates for Resilient Water Infrastructure Damaged in 2020 Fire
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the City of Gates will receive a $400,000 Rural Development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to install a backup power source at their reservoir for fire-resilient municipal water service. “Gates, like many towns in Oregon,
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