Press Releases

Merkley Denounces Unjust Sentencing of Hong Kong Democracy Advocate Jimmy Lai

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—issued this statement following the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, an entrepreneur and democracy advocate in Hong Kong who has been imprisoned since 2020 under

Merkley, Wyden Lead the Charge to Limit DHS’ Use of Facial Recognition Technology Amid Trump’s Rapidly Growing Surveillance State

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they introduced the ICE Out of Our Faces Act. The bicameral legislation would rein in the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), banning agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs

Wyden, Merkley Co-sponsor Expanded Gun Background Check Bill

Washington, D.C. – Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley this week co-sponsored legislation that would expand federal background checks to all gun sales. The Background Check Expansion Act would fix federal law that unlicensed or private sellers are not required to conduct a background check prior to transferring a firearm.

Merkley Response to President Trump’s Address

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after President Trump’s national address: “Let’s be very clear: The only ‘crisis’ at the southern border is the humanitarian crisis President Trump and his administration created by ripping babies away from their parents’ arms and locking up children. The

Udall, Merkley Applaud House Democrats’ Introduction of Sweeping Democracy Reform Package

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) applauded House Democrats’ introduction of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a comprehensive democracy reform package to fight corruption and fix our broken politics. Udall and Merkley will introduce companion legislation in the U.S. Senate in the coming weeks. The

Merkley: Trump Shutdown is Hurting Family Farmers & Rural America

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, who serves as the top Democrat on the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, released the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to let the Senate vote on House-passed legislation that would end the partial federal government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture

Merkley Unveils Sweeping Blueprint to Restore American Democracy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today unveiled a sweeping blueprint to restore American democracy, outlining a series of proposals to take on voter suppression, gerrymandering, dark money, and unequal representation in our democracy. “The ‘We the People’ vision of our Constitution is being corrupted by dark, anti-democratic forces,”

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