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,
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio & Blumenauer File Court Brief Supporting Youth Climate Lawsuit
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer have filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals supporting the Juliana v. United States youth plaintiffs in their landmark climate lawsuit and urging the Court to allow the pending
Merkley, Panetta Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral KITTEN Act to End Taxpayer-Funded Kitten Slaughter
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman Jimmy Panetta today introduced the bipartisan and bicameral Kittens In Traumatic Testing Ends Now Act, or KITTEN Act, which would end the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) practice of killing kittens after they’re used in agency testing. “The USDA’s decision to slaughter kittens after they are
Merkley, Bonamici, Pallone, Slotkin Introduce Bill to Ban Asbestos Now
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, along with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), today introduced the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act of 2019, legislation that would ban the mining, importation, use, and distribution in commerce of
Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Veterans Agent Orange Bill
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced they are co-sponsoring a bipartisan bill that would provide health care benefits to additional veterans who served decades ago in the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Their bill would move the start date for the presumption of service connection
Merkley, Bonamici, Cummings Introduce SAFE Lending Act to Protect Consumers from Predatory Practices in Payday Lending
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, along with Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) and House Oversight Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-MD), introduced the Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic (SAFE) Lending Act. The SAFE Lending Act would crack down on some of the worst abuses of the payday lending industry,
Wyden, Merkley Join Colleagues to Reintroduce the Marijuana Justice Act
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley last week joined Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and colleagues in reintroducing the Marijuana Justice Act to end the federal prohibition on marijuana. “The War on Drugs destroyed lives, and no one continues to be devastated more than low-income communities