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 Massive Investment in Central Oregon Infrastructure
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced a massive, $60.4 million federal grant for a transportation project on the north side of Bend that will improve U.S. 97 and U.S. 20 highways and key local routes, while also incorporating multimodal connections like bike lanes
VIDEO RELEASE: Momentum Builds for Cannabis Banking as Committee Holds Hearing on Merkley’s Bipartisan SAFE Banking Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Momentum is building today for Senator Jeff Merkley’s Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, as the Senate Banking Committee held a hearing to consider the bipartisan legislation to solve banking access for legal cannabis businesses. Merkley testified at the hearing, as did Oregonian Rachel Pross, the
Wyden, Merkley Urge Protection of Citizen Engagement in Public Lands Management
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today urged Donald Trump to protect vital, volunteer-led councils which currently inform Bureau of Land Management (BLM) public land management policy. Last month, Trump issued an executive order instructing all federal agencies to review their advisory panels and terminate
Merkley Decries Trump Decision to Cut 3 Million Americans Off of Food Stamps
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after the Trump administration announced that they would attempt to put in place a new policy that would kick an estimated 3 million Americans off of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Oregon Delegation Pushes for an End to Service Blackouts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, with Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio and Kurt Schrader, today pressed executives of AT&T/DirecTV and Nexstar Media Group to consider the public safety implications of the local broadcasting blackout affecting Oregonians, and restore access to news programming.
Wyden, Merkley, Walden Urge Feds to Ensure Long-serving Local Fire Departments Can Continue to Battle Blazes on Federal Lands
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and U.S. Rep. Greg Walden today expressed concern that a number of local fire departments may no longer be able to serve as partners to the federal government in fighting wildfires. The three Oregon lawmakers’ letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny