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,
Senators Urge U.S. Trade Representative to Protect Public Health and Environmental Laws from Foreign Trade Tribunals
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, five U.S. Senators expressed concerns that the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) could undermine current or future public health and environmental laws, and urged the U.S. Trade Representative to ensure that the TPP would exempt such policies from being challenged under foreign trade tribunals known as “investor-state dispute
Merkley Joins Broad Coalition of Democratic Lawmakers in Fight to Outlaw Unfair Consumer Contracts
WASHINGTON, D.C. —Today, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), along with Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.), led a broad coalition of more than 50 members of Congress in the fight to protect the rights of consumers in Minnesota and across the country who are being hurt by forced arbitration contracts in the
Merkley Offers Amendments to Make Future Trade Agreements Work for Working Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Trade Promotion Authority, or “fast track,” legislation continues to be pending on the Senate floor, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley filed a package of amendments focused on creating good-paying jobs in America. “The trade policy we put in place today will have profound effects on our workers
Merkley, Blumenauer, Wyden, Bonamici, DeFazio Introduce Columbia River Basin Restoration Act to Clean Up Columbia Basin
WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Senator Ron Wyden, Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Representative Peter DeFazio (OR-04) introduced the Columbia River Basin Restoration Act. The legislation would authorize $50 million over five years for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a voluntary, competitive Columbia
SENATORS INTRODUCE AMENDMENT TO PREVENT THE USE OF FAST TRACK TO GUT FINANCIAL REFORMS
WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) have introduced an amendment that would prevent the use of Fast Track authority to pass a trade deal that weakens financial regulations. “This President supports financial reform – but he cannot
Merkley Vows to Protect Pendleton Agricultural Research Station from Devastating Cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the 2016 appropriations process gets underway in the U.S. Capitol, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley is vowing to go to bat for essential programs in Oregon, including the Columbia Plateau Conservation Research Center near Pendleton. Merkley is the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee and