Press Releases

Merkley Condemns More Pocket Rescissions by Trump Administration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, issued the below statement after President Donald Trump and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Russ Vought issued more illegal pocket rescissions, this time clawing back nearly $1 billion in

Sens. Markey, Merkley and Reps. Jayapal, Tlaib, Pressley Reintroduce Legislation to Halt Government Use of Facial Recognition and Other Biometric Technology

Bill Text (PDF) Washington (September 25, 2026) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), announced the reintroduction of the Facial Recognition and Biometric Technology Moratorium Act, legislation to prohibit the government from using

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

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, Collins Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Wipe Out Non-Flushables from our Waste Water Infrastructure

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Maine’s U.S. Senator Susan Collins today introduced the bipartisan Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act, a bill to address heath, ecosystem, and wastewater infrastructure concerns caused by the flushing of non-flushable wet wipes. “Wastewater treatment facilities run equipment

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