Press Releases

Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Raise Concerns about Forest Service Reorganization

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, led over 30 of his colleagues—including Senator Ron Wyden—in raising strong concerns about the reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  “We write with

Merkley: Republican Budget Resolution Ignores the Needs of Working Families

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, released the below statement after Senate Republicans voted to pass their Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Resolution that will enable a reconciliation bill to provide up to $140 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and

Merkley Statement on Immigration Executive Orders

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after President Donald Trump signed new executive orders on immigration policy: “Trump’s border wall will waste our scarce resources: a 21-foot ladder defeats a 20-foot wall. There are smarter strategies for border security and for infrastructure investment. Let’s repair

Merkley Slams Trump’s Executive Order on Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order designed to ram through the Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines: “The proposed Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines have inspired unprecedented grassroots opposition, and for good reason: they would turn on

Merkley Statement on Pompeo Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Senate vote on the nomination of Rep. Mike Pompeo to serve as CIA Director:  “We need a CIA Director who will stand up for Americans’ privacy, not undermine it. I voted ‘no’ on Rep. Pompeo’s nomination because

Merkley Statement on Mattis and Kelly

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate votes on the nominations of James Mattis to be Secretary of Defense and John Kelly to be Secretary of Homeland Security. Senator Merkley voted ‘yes’ on Mattis’s nomination and ‘no’ on Kelly’s nomination. “James Mattis will bring

Merkley Statement on Presidential Inauguration

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after President Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of the United States: “As President Trump is inaugurated, we must realize that millions of Americans across the country, including many in Oregon, are deeply anxious about this presidency–and they

Wyden, Merkley Urge Feds to Reconsider Deregulating Genetically Engineered Plant

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today wrote federal officials to express concerns about the deregulation of a genetically engineered plant that threatens Oregon’s agriculture, recreation and grass seed industry. The senators’ letter (attached) to Acting Agriculture Department Secretary Michael Scuse follows the announcement this week from

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