Merkley, Whitehouse, Doggett Celebrate Plastic Pollution Action Month
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Rhode Island’s U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (TX-37) introduced their resolution marking July 2026 as “Plastic Pollution Action Month.” The bicameral resolution spotlights the dangers of the plastic pollution crisis and calls on Americans to protect our
NEW: Bipartisan Bill to Enhance Aviation Safety After Slackline-Helicopter Tragedy
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and John Curtis (R-UT), and U.S. Representatives Cliff Bentz (R-OR-02) and Val Hoyle (D-OR-04) introduced the McCarty and Heideman Air Safety Enhancement Act, with support from U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), and Tim Sheehy (R-MT).
Merkley, Krishnamoorthi Fight Back Against Predatory For-Profit Colleges Scamming Students with Worthless College Degrees
Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) reintroduced legislation to protect students from predatory higher-education programs—which are often run by for-profit colleges—that target financially vulnerable students, leave borrowers buried in debt, and force taxpayers to foot the bill for federal aid that
Merkley Leads Senate Group Urging FDA to Regulate Electronic Cigarettes
Washington, DC – Today, Senator Jeff Merkley joined with Senators Boxer (D-CA), Blumenthal (D-CT), Brown (D-OH), Durbin (D-IL), Markey (D-MA) to send a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner urging the FDA to finalize its plan for regulating e-cigarettes. The Senators pointed to a new study from
Merkley Announces New State Director
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that Jessica Stevens has been promoted to state director, replacing Jeanne Atkins, who retired. Stevens has worked with Merkley since 2012, when she joined the team as State Field Director. “Jessica brings tremendous management skills and has strong relationships with Oregonians
Merkley Statement on the Senate Banking Committee’s Markup of Iran Sanctions Legislation
“Iran’s possession of a nuclear weapon would be a grave threat to global security and a direct threat to the United States. I have strongly supported toughened sanctions on Iran in the past and will readily do so again if they back out of the P5+1 negotiations. We must not allow
Merkley to Serve on New Appropriations Subcommittees Key to Oregon Priorities
WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley announced today that he has been appointed to serve on two new subcommittees of the Senate Appropriations Committee: the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations. The Energy and Water Subcommittee controls funding for the U.S. Department
Senator Merkley Applauds Plan to Protect Alaskan Wilderness
WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Obama Administration announced that they would seek to designate 12 million acres of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) as formally protected wilderness area. “The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is one of our country’s great treasures, and future
Oregon Receives Nearly $27 Million to Put Roofs Over Oregonians’ Heads
Washington, DC – Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today praised the announcement of federal funding for more than 130 programs across the state that seek to house people who are experiencing homelessness. ”When people can’t afford a roof over their head, they suffer and the entire community suffers,”