Press Releases

Merkley, Wyden Lead the Charge to Limit DHS’ Use of Facial Recognition Technology Amid Trump’s Rapidly Growing Surveillance State

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they introduced the ICE Out of Our Faces Act. The bicameral legislation would rein in the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), banning agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs

Klobuchar, Heinrich, Merkley, Colleagues Raise Concerns About National Trail Program

WASHINGTON – Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies are

Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $750,000 Water Infrastructure Grant for City of Echo

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the City of Echo, Oregon will receive $769,875 in federal grant funding to upgrade and improve the efficiency of the city’s wastewater treatment plant. The funding is being allocated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA)

Merkley, Sanders Introduce Legislation to Put Strict Limits on Corporate Use of Facial Recognition

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today continued his leadership at the intersection of privacy rights, racial justice, and emerging technologies by introducing the National Biometric Information Privacy Act of 2020, groundbreaking legislation that would prohibit private companies from collecting biometric data—including eye scans, voiceprints, faceprints, and fingerprints—without

“Unlawful, Unfair, Illogical, Impossible”: Oregon Members Call on U.S. Department of Education to Rescind Rule that Would Misdirect $11M from Oregon Public Schools

WASHINGTON, D.C. [08/04/20] –?Congresswoman?Suzanne?Bonamici,?Senators Ron Wyden?and Jeff Merkley, and?Representatives?Peter DeFazio?and?Earl Blumenauer?called on the U.S. Department of Education to rescind a rule that would take?up to $11,310,291 from Oregon public schools?and redirect it to private schools, calling it?unlawful, unfair, illogical, and impossible.?  The Representatives and Senators responded to an interim final

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