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 Key USDA Investment in Electric Infrastructure Improvement

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced a nearly $8.5 million electric infrastructure investment in West Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc., a Vernonia-based co-op which serves communities throughout Columbia, Yamhill, Tillamook, Washington, and Clatsop counties. Merkley serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations

Merkley Statement on Hunsaker Nomination

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today released the following statement on the nomination of Washington County Circuit Court Judge Danielle Hunsaker to a vacant seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The Senate vote is scheduled for Tuesday. “I enjoyed the opportunity to

Merkley, Wyden Announce Key Oregon Rural Priorities Funded in Spending Bill

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced key provisions in the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill that will help Oregon’s rural communities—from investments in rural housing; to research into the impacts of wildfire smoke on crops; to hemp, which is becoming a major cash crop for

Merkley, Wyden Announce Significant New Investments to Address Housing, Homelessness

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the Senate has passed the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which includes $2.173 billion to battle unaffordable rents and homelessness. The bill funds several federal departments, and includes Oregon priorities for transportation, housing, and

Wyden, Merkley Press State Department On Policies To Protect Journalists Abroad

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley yesterday joined sixteen of their Congressional colleagues to demand answers from the State Department regarding the practices and policies in place to assist journalists who face threats to their personal safety while reporting overseas and “to encourage the [Department] to

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