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,
Merkley, Wyden Announce Nearly $14 Million in HHS Grants for Oregon Health Facilities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that over $14 million in grant funding will be distributed among 15 health facilities in Oregon to help with response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have a responsibility to make sure that the Oregonians working on the front lines of
Merkley, Colleagues Push for HHS to Prioritize Rural Hospitals in Coronavirus Emergency Response Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, along with a bipartisan group of 18 of his Senate colleagues, pushed the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to consider the needs of rural hospitals and hospitals with high percentages of Medicaid and Medicare patients as HHS distributes the
Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $450,000 in Grants for Critical Earthquake Research
WASHINGTON, DC— Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced over $450,000 in earthquake research grant funding for Oregon. The grants will be administered by the U.S. Geological Survey, and will be allotted to Oregon State University, Portland State University, and the University of Oregon. The schools will
Oregon Delegation Urges Swift Distribution of Emergency COVID-19 Funds to Health Care Providers
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio, Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Kurt Schrader and Greg Walden today urged federal officials to distribute emergency funds as soon as possible for health care providers in Oregon and nationwide to cover expenses and revenues lost due to
Merkley Demands Fixes to Botched Paycheck Protection Program Roll-out
WASHINGTON, DC — Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today pressed the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to immediately fix a number of specific problems that have emerged in its botched implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), designed to help small businesses stay afloat and keep employees on payroll. Merkley
Wyden, Merkley Announce More Than $12 Million in COVID-19 Grants for Oregon Health Centers
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that more than $12 million in federal grants will be available for health centers statewide to support their work responding to COVID-19 in their communities. The $12.4 million in federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) grants from