Elfreth, Merkley Introduce Legislation to Prohibit Partisan National Park Passes
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congresswoman Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Vice Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), the top Democrat overseeing funding for the National Park Service, introduced the Prohibit Partisan Park Passes Act. The bill is straightforward legislation that would explicitly prohibit the National
CBO Tells Merkley: Trump’s Brazen National Guard Deployment to American Cities Has So Far Cost U.S. Taxpayers Upwards of $589 Million
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) told U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, that President Donald Trump’s brazen decision to deploy National Guard personnel to U.S. cities, including Portland, has cost taxpayers upwards of $589 million to date. If these
Merkley, Durbin, Peters Lead Amicus Brief Urging Circuit Court to Affirm the Critical Protections of Minors in Immigration Detention
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee led a group of 23 Senators in filing an
Wyden, Merkley, Announce Passage of Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Bill
Washington, D.C. – Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley celebrated the Senate passage of the Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Act today, which will permanently conserve thousands of acres of pristine forest near the Southern Oregon coast. The bill now goes to the House. “The proposed Devil’s Staircase Wilderness area is
Merkley Amendment to Protect Jobs in the Woods Passes Senate
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate passed Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley’s amendment to end abuse of the H-2B visa program in forestry work and protect American jobs in American forests. The amendment will be added to the comprehensive immigration bill being debated by the U.S. Senate. In 2010, the Bend
Merkley Asks Administration to Declassify Secret Court Opinions on NSA Programs
Merkley Asks Administration to Declassify Secret Court Opinions on NSA Programs WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley is asking the Obama administration to make public secret court opinions that include significant findings about the legal scope of the NSA surveillance programs. These court opinions are currently classified and thus kept
Merkley: Army Corps Should Reverse Decision on Environmental Review of Coal Exports
Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the Army Corps of Engineers decided not to undergo a full environmental review of the proposed coal export terminals in Oregon. “I am very disappointed with the announcement from the Army Corps that they have decided to not
Merkley Introduces Amendment to Immigration Bill to Protect Forest Jobs
Washington – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill that would tighten restrictions on a visa program that was used to hire foreign workers at the expense of Oregon forest workers. The amendment is similar to a bill he offered earlier this year
Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Merkley Bill to Expand Educational Benefits to Spouses of Fallen Heroes
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Veterans Affairs Committee held a hearing on the Spouses of Heroes Education Act, legislation to expand the post-9/11 G.I. Bill to provide full educational benefits to spouses of servicemembers who die in the line of duty. The bipartisan bill, authored by Oregon’s Senator Jeff