Press Releases

Merkley, Mannion Champion Legislation to Make Mental Health Care Accessible for Every Student in America 

Washington, D.C. – During Mental Health Awareness Month, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and Congressman John Mannion (NY-22) announced the reintroduction of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act, legislation that would significantly boost the availability of mental health providers in America’s public schools. Mental illness affects nearly 20 percent of American youth. This bicameral legislation would put additional mental health providers in elementary and

Forty-One Senators Push to Keep Harmful Environmental Riders Out of Appropriations Bills

Senators warn that inclusion of poison pills harming the environment would undermine Senate’s ability to pass bipartisan spending bills Washington, D.C. – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,

Merkley Kicks Off Series of ‘We the People’ Floor Speeches

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley kicked off a new series of “We the People” floor speeches, in which he will go to the floor of the Senate on a regular basis to call attention to issues affecting everyday Americans that are being undermined by powerful special interests. 

Merkley Statement on New Halt to Coal Leasing on Public Lands

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the lead sponsor of the Keep It in the Ground Act, released the following statement after reports that the Interior Department will halt new leases for coal production on federal public lands until further studies about the environmental impact of continuing coal production

MERKLEY STATEMENT ON STATE OF THE UNION

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after President Obama’s final State of the Union speech: “Tonight President Obama reminded us of what we can and should be: a country of political and economic opportunity for all. “I share the President’s vision for growing our middle

Merkley Announces State of the Union Guest

Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced that his guest to the 2016 State of the Union Address will be Jim Obergefell, the lead plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges that extended marriage equality to all 50 states in June 2015.‎ This morning, the White House announced

Senators Call for Transparency for LGBT Students at Schools Seeking Religious Exemptions

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Al Franken, D-Minn., Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., today called for greater transparency and accountability after a recent rise in the number of colleges and universities seeking religious

Merkley Statement on Omnibus Vote

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Senate voted to pass an end-of-year spending omnibus bill. The package also included extensions of tax provisions and legislation to lift the ban on U.S. exports of crude oil. “This omnibus and tax bill contains many

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