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,

Oregon Delegation Urges Fishery Disaster Declaration

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation—Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)—in urging the U.S. Department of Commerce to declare a federal fishery resource disaster for the 2024 Oregon troll salmon fishery. “This declaration is critical to provide economic relief

Oregon Delegation Denounces Trump Administration’s Attacks on Humanities Funding

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today led his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation—Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)—in slamming federal funding cuts at the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) following a majority of the agency’s entire staff being placed on paid administrative leave and cuts to more

Oregon Delegation Urges Reversal of Cuts, Planned Layoffs at Social Security That Hurt State’s Seniors

Letter from Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas, Bynum, Dexter cites disastrous decisions in Social Security field offices in Warrenton, La Grande and The Dalles Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today led his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation – Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Maxine Dexter (OR-03) – in urging

Oregon Delegation Demands Immediate Restoration of Critical FEMA Program

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led his Democratic colleagues in the Oregon delegation—Senator Ron Wyden and U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), and Janelle Bynum (OR-05)—in calling for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to immediately restore Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants. These federal grants are critical to ensuring that Oregon’s communities—especially in

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