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, Senate and House Lawmakers: Trump Administration Risking a New Arms Race with Failure to Renew Nuclear Treaty with Russia
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—co-chair of the Congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group and a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—led his Senate and House colleagues in raising urgent concerns about the expiration this week of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
Merkley, Waters Launch New Effort to Boost Congress’ Oversight of Trump’s Mass Firings
Washington, D.C. – As the Trump Administration continues mass firings of federal employees, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today introduced first-of-its-kind legislation to strengthen Congress’ authority to protect workers and override federal staffing cuts implemented without consultation. The Reduction in Force (RIF) Review Act empowers Congress to overrule any president’s workforce cuts at all federal agencies, including the Social Security Administration, Environmental
Warren, Merkley, Blunt Rochester Lead 19 Senators Pressing Trump on How His Chaotic Tariffs are Raising Americans’ Housing Prices
“America is in the midst of a nationwide housing shortage … your reckless trade policies will only make the crisis worse.” Read letter here Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member
Merkley, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Save Taxpayers’ Money by Eliminating Penny Production
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Utah’s Senator Mike Lee introduced bipartisan legislation today that would advance responsible spending by ending production of the penny. Striking the penny has become increasingly costly, and the Make Sense Not Cents Act would permanently eliminate this wasteful spending. Each penny costs nearly 4 cents to make—a number that has risen more than 20
Wyden, Merkley Demand Trump Administration Reverse Public Safety Cuts in Oregon and Nationwide
Citing loss of a federal grant for the Union County DA’s Office, Oregon senators write that “poorly thought out and rash cuts like this will only serve to embolden fentanyl traffickers and decrease public safety.” Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today demanded the Trump administration
Merkley, Wyden Blast Trump Administration’s Attacks on Head Start, Demand RFK Jr. Immediately Release Funding and Reverse Firings
42 lawmakers write to RFK Jr. demanding answers on Trump admin’s actions undermining Head Start as Trump reportedly plans to eliminate the program Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined colleagues in a letter to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calling out the Trump Administration’s
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Slam Illegal DOGE Cuts to AmeriCorps
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined their Congressional colleagues in an effort led by Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) to defend AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) members. The lawmakers are calling on President Trump to immediately reverse cuts to the critical national service