Ranking Member Merkley, Colleagues Denounce Trump Administration’s Partisan Changes to National Park Service Access for 2026
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—the top Democrat overseeing funding for the National Park Service— today led U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Patty Murray (D-WA), Cory
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 Celebrates 500th Town Hall
Portland, OR – U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today celebrated his 500th town hall in Oregon since joining the U.S. Senate. He reached the milestone today while hosting a virtual town hall in Lincoln County. “I hold a town hall in every Oregon county, every year because they enable me to
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call on Department of Education, DOJ to Follow Through on Pledge to Improve Handling of Student Debt Bankruptcy Claims
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley have joined colleagues in asking the federal Departments of Education and Justice for an update on efforts to improve how the agencies handle undue hardship claims by student borrowers in bankruptcy proceedings. “The undue hardship exception (11 U.S.C. 523(a)(8)) currently
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Extend Student Loan Payment Pause and Cancel Student Debt
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden cosigned a letter to President Joseph R. Biden urging the administration to act now to extend the pause on federally-held student loan payments until at least the end of the year and to provide meaningful student debt cancellation. “Given
Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Bill to Extend Summer Meal Flexibilities to Feed Children
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation that would extend federal school meal flexibilities for children in Oregon and nationwide from June 30, 2022 to September 30, 2023. These flexibilities have been crucial to feeding children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Wyden, Merkley: More than $30 Million to Oregon for Home Weatherization to Reduce Energy Costs and Increase Resilience
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week announced that Oregon will receive $30.6 million in federal funds for home weatherization to help reduce energy expenses for low-income families. “Due to climate change, Oregon is suffering more instances of extreme weather—from heat islands to ice storms—and the costly weatherization and high energy bills
Merkley, Carper, Colleagues Demand Answers on DeJoy’s Gas-Guzzling USPS Spending Spree
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Delaware’s U.S. Senator Tom Carper today led colleagues in a letter to United States Post Office Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, pressing USPS to explain its financial analysis behind its plan to acquire a new delivery fleet comprised of predominantly gas-powered vehicles.