Press Releases

Merkley Investigates Chemical Industry Insiders Taking Over Critical EPA Chemical Safety Office

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) subcommittee overseeing environmental justice, chemical safety, and waste management—today sent an oversight letter following reports of former chemical industry lobbyists filling key positions at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical

Merkley: Senate Refuses to Stop Unauthorized War with Iran

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—released the following statement after the Senate voted to block U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)’s War Powers Resolutionaimed at stopping the unauthorized U.S.-Israel war in Iran: “The Trump Administration has repeatedly misled the American people about its plans for war against

Merkley, Wyden Announce Senate Passage of Critical Community-Initiated Projects

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced essential investments for Oregon families and rural and underserved communities passed the Senate, including five community-initiated projects for communities across the state championed by the Senators. These investments were included in the first package of Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) funding bills that cleared the chamber

Dexter, Wyden, Merkley Announce Nearly $1 Million for Clean Water Infrastructure in Gresham 

GRESHAM, OR — Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) and U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced that the City of Gresham received $959,752 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for essential upgrades to Gresham’s Wastewater Treatment Plant to remove ammonia in the waste streams created by growth in the semiconductor industry.    The funding was secured by members of

Merkley Blasts Senate Republicans for Blocking His Bill to Release the Epstein Files

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans again blocked consideration of his Epstein Files Transparency Act: “The American people want and deserve transparency—but Senate Republicans are once again blocking justice. The rich and powerful must be held accountable for using their influence, money, and

Merkley Acts to Preserve Bipartisan Funding Agreements in Congress

Washington, D.C. – As the Senate considers bipartisan legislation to set funding for a portion of the federal government, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley offered an amendment to reaffirm that bipartisan funding agreements made by Congress cannot be undone by the Administration or partisan maneuvers in Congress. Merkley offered an amendment

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Administration to Reinstate EPA Employees Retaliated Against for Exercising Free Speech Rights

Washington, DC– U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley (both D-Ore.) said today they have joined 15 Senate colleagues in pressing the federal Environmental Protection Agency to reinstate employees placed on administrative leave after signing a “Declaration of Dissent” expressing concern with the agency’s direction under the Trump administration. “We

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Call for Restoration of Voting Rights Act

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both D-Ore., said today they have joined Senate colleagues in reintroducing legislation that would update and restore critical safeguards of the original Voting Rights Act of 1965 that federal court rulings have eroded in recent years. “Six decades after Congress passed the landmark Voting Rights

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