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,

Wyden, Merkley Announce LWCF Grants in Oregon

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that 11 local and state park projects in Oregon received nearly $2.9 million in Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants this week. “These resources for Oregon parks prove once again the tremendous value that the Land and Water

Wyden, Merkley Announce Funds for Sagebrush Program

Washington, D.C. –Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced restored funding for a program that puts inmates to work producing sagebrush plants that help restore sage grouse habitat after wildfires. The announcement by the Oregon senators of $600,000 in funding for the Sagebrush in Prisons Project follows their requests for

Merkley Introduces Bill to Reduce Severity of Wildfires

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today introduced the Wildfire-Resilient Communities Act to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires, and the smoke and economic losses that they cause.  “Across the country, our communities have been threatened by increasingly severe wildfires,” Merkley said. “As we saw this summer in

Merkley Files Lawsuit Asking Courts to Intervene, Halt Kavanaugh Confirmation Process

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today announced he is filing a lawsuit arguing that the Trump Administration’s actions to withhold substantial parts of Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s record have violated the constitutional separation of powers and hindered Senators from fulfilling their constitutional duty of advice and consent on the

Merkley Announces Funding for Major Irrigation Project

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced nearly $30 million of U.S. Department of Agriculture funding for the Tumalo Irrigation District to improve water conservation, water delivery reliability, and public safety on more than 68 miles of its canals and laterals. Merkley used his position as the

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