Press Releases

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 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

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

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