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
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
Merkley: GOP Boycott of McCarthy Vote Pathetic Dereliction of Duty
Washington – Oregon’s Senator Merkley released the following statement after Republican members of the EPW Committee boycotted a vote on the confirmation of Gina McCarthy to be EPA Administrator. “Gina McCarthy is eminently qualified to head the Environmental Protection Agency. She has impeccable credentials and has earned the praise of business
Merkley: Oregon Retailers Should Not Be Forced to Collect Inefficient, Regressive Sales Tax
Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after the passage of a bill to force internet retailers to collect sales taxes for states and municipalities that have local sales taxes. “I voted no on the internet sales tax because the citizens of Oregon have said nine
Merkley Applauds Forest Service Action on “Next Generation” Airtankers
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Forest Service announced it would award operating contracts for “Next Generation” airtankers to be used in wildfire suppression: “I am pleased that the Forest Service is moving forward to get these planes into service. Last
Merkley Meets with Portland Veterans, Calls for Action to Address Backlog of Veterans Claims
Portland, OR— Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and Multnomah County Commissioner Diane McKeel today visited Portland Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4248 and met with area veterans to discuss the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) growing backlog of unanswered veteran’s benefit claims. The average wait time for Oregon veterans to receive
Merkley Announces Bills to Prepare Students for 21st Century Jobs
Eugene, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley visited Churchill High School in Eugene today to discuss his science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education legislation that he introduced last week. Merkley also unveiled legislation that he is preparing to introduce that would provide grants for career technical education (CTE) to