Republicans Again Block Merkley’s Push to Permanently Ban Pocket Rescissions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate considers bipartisan legislation to set funding for a portion of the federal government, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, offered an amendment to codify a permanent ban on pocket rescissions by prohibiting the President from sending Congress a
Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Probe Collapse in IRS Investigations of Wealthy Tax Cheats Under Trump
Senators: IRS investigations into abusive tax schemes plummeted last year to lowest levels in the past decade Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined Senate colleagues to demand answers on how Republican funding clawbacks and DOGE staff cuts have gutted the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
Markey, Merkley, Van Hollen, Wyden Urge Trump to Keep Longstanding Ban on South Korean Nuclear Enrichment, Reprocessing
Letter Text (PDF) Washington (January 30, 2026) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), co-chairs of the Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, along with Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today wrote to President Trump urging the strongest possible non-proliferation measures in
Merkley Introduces New Legislation to Guarantee Affordable Options for Repaying Student Loans
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Access to Fair Financial Options for Repaying Debt (AFFORD) Act, new legislation that would guarantee all students are able to affordably pay off their student loans by making an income-based repayment option available to all student borrowers. Additionally, he introduced
Merkley Calls for Fairness and Equality at NAACP Journey for Justice March in Selma, Alabama this weekend
WASHINGTON, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley participated in the NAACP’s America’s Journey for Justice march this past weekend that started in Selma, Alabama and ends in Washington, D.C. Over the weekend, Senator Merkley joined the participants to march for 38 miles to call for economic fairness, education reform, criminal
Merkley Statement on Vote to Defund Planned Parenthood
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Senate on Monday night defeated an effort to defund Planned Parenthood: “Millions of women across America – including more than 60,000 each year in Oregon – rely on Planned Parenthood as an essential health care provider.
Merkley Applauds Strengthening of Clean Power Plan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Obama Administration announced they would finalize and strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan to cut carbon pollution: “Climate change is an urgent threat that requires urgent action. Already we are seeing the cost of climate
Appropriations Committee Passes Merkley Amendment to Provide Access to Banking Services for Legal Marijuana Businesses
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed the financial services appropriations bill, which included an amendment from Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley to ensure that legal marijuana businesses can access banking services. Senator Merkley’s amendment is similar to bipartisan legislation that he introduced last week. Currently, marijuana businesses operating
Historic, Comprehensive LGBT Non-Discrimination Legislation Introduced in Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, 40 Senators, led by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), introduced historic, comprehensive federal legislation to ban discrimination against LGBT Americans. The legislation was filed simultaneously in the U.S. House of Representatives by 158 Representatives, led by Rep.