Press Releases

Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Reintroduce Updated DISCLOSE Act to End Corrupting Influence of Dark Money in American Elections 

185 Democrats support effort to empower voters and expose billionaire and special interest control over our government and courts  Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined a bicameral group of Democrats in reintroducing the DISCLOSE Act, legislation to shine a bright light of transparency on the scourge of dark money in politics and make government more

Ranking Members Heinrich and Merkley Demand Answers from Trump Administration on Efforts to Erase History on Public Lands

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, sent a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) demanding answers from the National Park Service (NPS) following reports that

Merkley Investigates Chemical Industry Insiders Taking Over Critical EPA Chemical Safety Office

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—the top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) subcommittee overseeing environmental justice, chemical safety, and waste management—today sent an oversight letter following reports of former chemical industry lobbyists filling key positions at the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Office of Chemical

Merkley Statement on Murray-Ryan Budget Compromise

Washington, DC – Today Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced he will vote for the Murray-Ryan budget compromise, which will offer some relief from sequestration for the next two fiscal years.  “For the last three years, Congress has been governing from crisis to crisis, hurting the economy and the American families

Merkley Statement on Watt Cloture Vote

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Senate invoked cloture on the nomination of Mel Watt, ensuring a final vote on his nomination to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA):  “Subprime loans and the resulting foreclosure crisis caused a financial meltdown five years ago.

Merkley and Levin Statement on Final Volcker Rule

Washington, DC – Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Carl Levin (D-MI) released the following joint statement after approval by the Federal Reserve and the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission (FDIC) of the final Volcker Rule, a firewall between traditional banking and hedge fund style gambling. Merkley and Levin led the fight

Merkley: Advice and Consent Role Restored in Senate, Praises Millett Confirmation

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the Senate approved the nomination of Patricia Millett for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia by a simple up or down vote.  “Today’s vote shows that the constitutional concept of ‘advice and consent’ has

Merkley Proposal Leads to New Energy Loan Program for Rural Communities

Washington — Today, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the creation of a new $250 million loan fund based on the Rural Energy Savings Program proposed by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley. The new program will allow rural electric co-ops to offer their customers low-interest loans from USDA to

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