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,

Merkley Denounces President Trump’s Dangerous Iran Decision

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after President Trump announced that he will pull the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal: “This is a mistake of enormous proportions for America’s safety and security. “A nuclear-armed Iran

Merkley Announces Funding for Programs to Combat Sudden Oak Death

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced more than $466,000 in funding has been distributed to Oregon organizations and agencies for projects aimed at ending the spread of the Sudden Oak Death (SOD) and the EU1 strain of the

Senators Request Investigation of Mulvaney for Potential Hatch Act Violations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following Mick Mulvaney’s remarks last week in which he seemed to admit to pay-to-play in Congress and appeared to urge bank lobbyists to increase campaign donations, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley—along with Banking Committee Ranking Member Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Budget Committee

Wyden, Merkley, DeFazio, Huffman Urge Continued Chetco Protections

Washington, D.C. – Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Peter DeFazio and Jared Huffman today strongly urged federal officials to extend interim mineral withdrawal protections for the Chetco River in southwest Oregon. The lawmakers’ letter to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue notes that their request

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