Press Releases

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

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

en_USEnglish