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 Slams Bill to Imprison Children in Internment Camps

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the  Senate Judiciary Committee approved on a party-line vote a bill that would allow the government to imprison migrant children in family internment camps for up to 100 days: “This is a deeply shameful moment for our nation.

Merkley Statement on Budget Deal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after voting for a budget package that will avert a default on U.S. debt and prevent sweeping, across-the-board budget cuts that would have cut into programs Oregon families rely on: “This deal today allows us to increase investments in

Merkley Opposes Craft Confirmation as UN Ambassador

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s subcommittee overseeing the United Nations (UN), released the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm Ambassador Kelly Craft as UN Ambassador: “At a time when climate chaos is the greatest global challenge we

Merkley, DeFazio Lead Oregon Delegation in Push to Reverse Cuts to Food Assistance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio, along with Senator Ron Wyden and Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Earl Blumenauer and Kurt Schrader, today pushed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to immediately withdraw the harmful proposed rule that would take food assistance away from 3

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