Press Releases

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,

Padilla, Merkley, Cortez Masto, Peters Urge Smithsonian Secretary to Stand Strong Against Trump’s Attacks on Museums

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.) encouraged Secretary of the Smithsonian Lonnie G. Bunch

Dexter Leads Oregon Lawmakers in Standing Up for Wildfire Response and Research

Oregon lawmakers warn USDA plan would weaken wildfire response, disrupt critical research, and jeopardize 246 local jobs.   WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (OR-03) today led a letter with Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Janelle Bynum (OR-05) that

Merkley, Wyden, Bonamici: FEMA Must Award Critical Disaster Mitigation Funds to an Oregon Coast Project

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, as well as U.S. Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), today demanded the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) immediately award Clatsop County and Columbia Memorial Hospital (CMH) $20,845,683 in federal funding that was provided under the Building

187 Members of Congress File Brief to Support Conversion Therapy Bans at SCOTUS

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Congressional Equality Caucus Vice Chair & House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Rep. Ted Lieu (CA-36), and Senator Jeff Merkley (OR) filed an amicus brief to urge the United States Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of Colorado’s ban

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