Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Aid Workers in Conflict Zones
WASHINGTON – Today, on Human Rights Day, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to protect humanitarian aid workers operating in conflict zones. The lawmakers’ legislation, the Commitment to Aid Workers Act, would strengthen U.S. efforts to safeguard those who risk their
Senate Republicans Block Merkley’s Bill to Prevent War with Venezuela
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of his Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, which would block federal funds from being used for military actions in Venezuela: “As the Constitution so clearly says, Congress has the power
Senators Blunt Rochester, Merkley, Warnock Introduce Bill to Repair Infrastructure, Bridge Communities
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program,
Senate Passes Merkley-Brown “Buy America” Amendment to Water Infrastructure Bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment authored by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio to extend Buy America provisions to water infrastructure. The amendment, which was added to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), will strengthen and support U.S. manufacturing by ensuring
Merkley Statement on Inspector General IRS Report
Washington – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the release of an Inspector General report that the IRS was inappropriately targeting conservative groups for reviews of their tax-exempt status. “What the IRS did was wrong. Targeting groups by their name or their ideology is absolutely unacceptable. The
Merkley Cosponsors Bill to Lower Student Loan Rates
Washington, DC- Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley cosponsored a bill that would allow students to pay the same interest rate on their federally-subsidized Stafford loans as big banks get when they borrow money from the Federal Reserve. On July 1st of this year, student loan interest rates are set to
Merkley Introduces Breastfeeding Legislation and Highlights Portland Police Bureau’s Commitment to Working Mothers
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today joined Portland Police officers and breastfeeding advocates to introduce the Supporting Working Moms Act. This legislation would expand a provision that Merkley succeeded in including in the health care reform law to ensure that new mothers have the time and space to
Wyden, Merkley Ask Agriculture, Interior Secretaries for Emergency Grazing Rights on Federal Land in Southeastern and South Central Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Faced with another year of drought conditions in Southeastern and South Central Oregon, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are asking the Department of Agriculture extend emergency grazing of cattle on Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land. “Given the severity of the drought and
Merkley Introduces Bill to Protect Forest Jobs
Washington – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced The American Jobs in American Forests Act to tighten restrictions on a visa program that was used to hire foreign workers at the expense of Oregon forest workers. In 2011, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor released an audit