Press Releases

Merkley Denounces Unjust Sentencing of Hong Kong Democracy Advocate Jimmy Lai

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—issued this statement following the sentencing of Jimmy Lai, an entrepreneur and democracy advocate in Hong Kong who has been imprisoned since 2020 under

Merkley, Wyden Lead the Charge to Limit DHS’ Use of Facial Recognition Technology Amid Trump’s Rapidly Growing Surveillance State

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they introduced the ICE Out of Our Faces Act. The bicameral legislation would rein in the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), banning agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs

Merkley Announces $52 Million in Energy Loans for Rural Communities

WASHINGTON, DC– Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make $52 million in loans available to rural electric co-ops through the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP). RESP is a program designed by Senator Merkley to allow rural electric co-ops to offer their customers

Oregon Lawmakers Applaud Relocation of Forest Grove Post Office

WASHINGTON, DC [06/21/16] – Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Forest Grove Mayor Peter B. Truax applauded the United States Postal Service (USPS) for announcing a new retail location for the Forest Grove Post Office. USPS announced the Forest Grove Post Office would be

Merkley Statement on Senate’s Rejection of Common-Sense Gun Proposals

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to defeat proposals that would prohibit suspected terrorists from buying guns and that would close loopholes in the background check system: “It’s incomprehensible and shameful that 53 Senators put a higher priority on pleasing

Appropriations Committee Passes Merkley-Murray Amendment to Provide Access to Banking Services for Legal Marijuana Businesses

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, which included an amendment from Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and Washington Senator Patty Murray to ensure that legal marijuana businesses can access banking services. Currently, marijuana businesses operating under state laws that have

Merkley and Wyden Announce Key Oregon Wins for Rural Oregon in Senate Appropriations Bill

Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which Merkley sits, has passed an Interior Appropriations bill including key provisions that will help Oregon’s rural communities. These include funding for the Klamath basin, wildfire prevention, sage grouse habitat improvements and the Payments

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