Merkley, Salinas Lead New Bill to Hold ICE, CBP Accountable for Abusing Americans’ Constitutional Rights
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) introduced new legislation to hold U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) liable for violating individuals’ constitutional rights. The ICE and CBP Constitutional Accountability Act would make the federal government
Elfreth, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Prohibit Partisan National Park Passes
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Vice Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the top Democrat overseeing funding for the National Park Service, introduced the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act. The bill is straightforward legislation that would explicitly prohibit the National
CBO Tells Merkley: Trump’s Brazen National Guard Deployment to American Cities Has So Far Cost U.S. Taxpayers Upwards of $589 Million
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) told U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, that President Donald Trump’s brazen decision to deploy National Guard personnel to U.S. cities, including Portland, has cost taxpayers upwards of $589 million to date. If these
Merkley Hails Agreement on Reconciliation Framework To Give All Americans a Chance to Thrive
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—who serves on the Senate Budget Committee and helped negotiate the budget framework announced last night by Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer’s (D-NY)—released the following statement today about the outline for the $3.5 trillion package: “I still live in the same blue collar neighborhood
Wyden, Merkley to Education Department: Protect Student Borrowers’ Wages and Benefits When Payments Resume
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today asked how the Department of Education (DoEd) plans to support student borrowers in default as the scheduled end of paused student loan payments, collections and interest approaches in October. “With student loan and interest payments scheduled to resume
Merkley, Bipartisan Colleagues Push to Include Support for National Guard Firefighting Efforts in Upcoming Funding Bill
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today led a bipartisan group of 14 of his Senate colleagues in pushing leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense to include robust funding in the fiscal year 2022 funding bill for the National Guard to support wildland firefighting efforts in
Oregon Delegation Pushes Federal Agencies to Prepare for 2021 Wildfire Season
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), and Cliff Bentz (R-OR-02), are pushing agencies in charge of federal wildfire response to step up preparedness efforts for the 2021 wildfire season—which could be as bad or
Oregon Delegation Announces Major Step Up in Recovery Resources for Oregon Following 2020 Labor Day Fires
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR-04), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03), Kurt Schrader (D-OR-05) and Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), today announced that the federal government has agreed to pay 100 percent of the costs associated with debris removal and emergency protective measures following
Wyden, Merkley Announce $5.4 Million American Rescue Plan Investment in Head Start for Oregon
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced $5.4 million in Head Start funding going to Oregon from the American Rescue Plan. “Head Start programs give low-income kids in Oregon and nationwide a leg up, preparing them to excel in school,” Wyden said. “It’s critical to