Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $52 Million in PILT Payments to Support Vital Services in Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced counties throughout Oregon will receive a combined total of $52,016,022 in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2026. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT funding helps to defray the costs associated with
During Pride Month, Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Introduce Resolution Apologizing for Government Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Civil Servants, Servicemembers
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined a resolution led by U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) to acknowledge and apologize for the mistreatment of and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals who have served in the uniformed services, as civil servants, or in
Rosen, Curtis, Merkley, Banks Introduce Resolution Condemning Chinese Suppression of Ethnic Minorities
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Curtis (R-UT), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced a bipartisan resolution that condemns a law passed by the Chinese Communist Party and set to go into effect on July 1 that targets ethnic minorities and expresses support for Tibetans,
Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio, Walden Announce Six Oregon Counties Receive Federal Disaster Declaration
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio and Greg Walden today announced that federal officials have determined the spring storms that hit Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties qualified as major disasters. This announcement follows the Oregon lawmakers recent letter to
Merkley, Morelle, Katko Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Close Summer Learning Gap
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, along with Congressmen Joseph Morelle (D-NY-25) and John Katko (R-NY-24), today introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Summer Meals and Learning Act of 2019—legislation to address summer learning inequality by keeping school libraries open at schools that already serve free summer meals. “Every student—no matter
Merkley, Wyden Push VA Secretary Wilkie to Protect Veterans’ Health Care as New Program Goes Into Effect
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today pressed the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie to not repeat the same mistakes of the Veterans Choice Program when establishing the new Veterans Community Care Program. Congress passed the VA MISSION Act in 2018
As Trump Administration Tries to Destroy Health Care Protections, Merkley and Senate Democrats Stand Up for Health Care Bill of Rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today responded to the Trump administration’s attempts to rip health care away from tens of millions of Americans by introducing a new resolution supporting a “health care bill of rights” for all Americans. Merkley was joined by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Brian Schatz
Merkley Calls on Acosta to Resign
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today released the following statement calling on Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta to resign. Merkley’s call follows new details about the serial sexual abuse of children by Jeffrey Epstein, a powerful financier with whom Acosta negotiated a lenient 2007 plea deal when Acosta was
As LGBTQ Rights Cases Head to Supreme Court, Merkley and Cicilline Lead Bicameral Amicus Brief in Support of Civil Rights Protections for Employees
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman David N. Cicilline (RI-01) are leading 151 colleagues in an amicus brief supporting equal rights for LGBTQ employees, in three cases where high-performing employees were fired once their bosses discovered their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Supreme Court will hear