Press Releases

Merkley, Panetta Announce Bicameral Resolution Marking National Pollinator Week 2026

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) announced a bicameral resolution to recognize the importance of pollinators to ecosystem health and agriculture in the United States. The resolution designates June 22 through June 28, 2026, as “National Pollinator Week,” to emphasize the vital

Merkley, Murkowski Secure Commitment to Preserve U.S. Ocean Monitoring Systems

Washington, D.C. – Following public outrage over the dismantling of the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced the NSF was pausing its planned removal of the OOI’s sensors. NSF’s decision came after Merkley and Murkowski passed a Senate

VA Applies Bipartisan Provision to Enhance VA Medical Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) today welcomed the news that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will implement one of the key proposals from the bipartisan Veterans Health Care Staffing Improvement Act, sponsored by Merkley and Sen. Mike

Congress Passes Provisions to Help Rebuild Lost Housing for Columbia River Tribes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), as well as Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), announced that provisions to help fulfill long-unmet housing obligations to tribes along the Columbia River have passed both the House and Senate as part of the Water

Columbia River Restoration Act Passes in House and Senate

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-3), Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1) and Congressman Peter DeFazio (OR-4) announced that the Columbia River Restoration Act has passed in the House and the Senate as part of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The legislation

Merkley Decries Lack of Secure Rural Schools Extension in Continuing Resolution

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement regarding his ‘no’ vote on the continuing resolution tonight: “With tonight’s congressional action—or lack thereof—a critical lifeline for rural Oregon will disappear. Since 2000, the Secure Rural Schools program has provided essential resources for rural Oregon counties to maintain

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