Padilla, Merkley, Schakowsky Introduce Bicameral Bill to Strengthen Nursing Staff Standards, Improve Patient Care
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on International Nurses Day, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act to improve hospital patient care and nurse retention by setting mandatory minimum registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09)
Welch, Wyden, Merkley, Schumer, Lead Colleagues in Fight to Protect Head Start, Meals on Wheels, Social Services from Republican Budget Cuts
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) today led the Senate Democratic Caucus in sending an open letter to the public exposing the
Wyden, Merkley Co-Sponsor Bill to Expand Access to SNAP, Repeal Republicans’ Punitive Eligibility Rules
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced they are co-sponsoring legislation that would help more Americans have access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a crucial safety net that stands between thousands of Oregonians and hunger. “Oregonians should not have to choose between putting food
Merkley Rural Energy Savings Bill Passes Key Committee
Washington, DC- Yesterday, the United States Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry passed the bipartisan Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2012, commonly known as the Farm bill. The bill included the Rural Energy Savings bill, a bipartisan effort led by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Richard
Merkley Statement on the Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act
Washington, DC- Today, the Senate reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, which funds key programs to combat domestic and sexual violence. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after passage of the bill. “The Violence Against Women Act has been extremely successful. Since 1994, when the bill first was
Merkley Pushes Back Against Proposed Cuts to National Guard Counterdrug Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley sent a letter to the Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee calling on them to preserve funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program. The program has been critical to detecting and disrupting drug activity, particularly large-scale marijuana growing
Senators: Implement Volcker Rule Without Delay
Washington, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Carl Levin (D-MI) led a group of 22 Senators in calling on regulators to write and implement a strong Volcker Rule free of loopholes and draw clear lines between large hedge-fund like trading and traditional banking. In a letter to Federal
Senate Passes Bill to Keep Postal Service Running
Washington, DC– Today, the United States Senate passed the bipartisan 21st Century Postal Service Act, which reforms the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and puts it on a path toward solvency. The bill includes an amendment offered by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) that prohibits the closure
Senate Passes Merkley Amendment to Save Oregon’s Rural Post Offices
Washington, DC- Today, the U.S. Senate approved Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley’s amendment to prohibit the closure of rural post offices where such closure would have a substantial impact on small businesses, seniors’ access to medication, and the economic strength of the community. Moreover, it bars the closing of any post