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 Joins Colleagues in Demanding Scrutiny of IRS Contract with Equifax
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley on Thursday joined eight of his Senate colleagues in demanding further scrutiny of the Internal Revenue Service’s decision to award Equifax a sole-source contract to verify taxpayer identities and help prevent tax fraud, despite the company’s recent and severe security breach that exposed
Merkley Applauds CFPB Action to Protect Consumers from Payday Debt Traps
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a new rule to protect consumers from debt traps caused by payday and other short-term loans with exorbitantly high interest rates—sometimes as high as 500% APR. Merkley has been a leader
Merkley Statement on Trump’s Attempt to Undo Clean Power Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement in response to news reports that the Trump administration will attempt to undo the Clean Power Plan, the most significant federal curb on carbon pollution: “This is a dangerous and irresponsible step backward in our fight to combat climate
Merkley, Wyden, Feinstein, Harris Urge NOAA to Declare Fisheries Disaster
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined with California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris to push the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) to act quickly and support a catastrophic regional fishery disaster declaration requested by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and California Gov. Jerry
Merkley Presses Forest Service Chief on Wildfire Funding, Forest Management
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley on Tuesday met with U.S. Forest Service Chief Tony Tooke to discuss the need for funding to help Oregon recover from this year’s devastating wildfire season, and to push for a surge in activity to reduce the risk of wildfires next season.
Merkley Statement on North Korean “War” Comments
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement after North Korea’s foreign minister said Monday that President Donald Trump has “declared war” on North Korea, citing Trump’s tweets from last weekend: “As we know, North Korea is a malignant