Press Releases

Padilla, Merkley, Schakowsky Introduce Bicameral Bill to Strengthen Nursing Staff Standards, Improve Patient Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, on International Nurses Day, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the Nurse Staffing Standards for Hospital Patient Safety and Quality Care Act to improve hospital patient care and nurse retention by setting mandatory minimum registered nurse-to-patient staffing ratios. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.-09)

Welch, Wyden, Merkley, Schumer, Lead Colleagues in Fight to Protect Head Start, Meals on Wheels, Social Services from Republican Budget Cuts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) today led the Senate Democratic Caucus in sending an open letter to the public exposing the

Merkley Statement on 75th Anniversary of Social Security

Washington, DC – This week marks the 75th anniversary of the Social Security Act. Signed into law by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1935, the Social Security Act — along with President Lyndon Johnson’s 1965 amendments — provides Social Security benefits to elderly Americans as well as Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment

Senate Passes Bill to Strengthen Nutrition Programs and Fight Childhood Obesity

Washington, D.C. – The Senate passed legislation today to reduce childhood obesity and strengthen programs dedicated to improving children’s nutrition.  The Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act will provide $4.5 billion to improving the National School Lunch Program, promote the health benefits of breastfeeding, and establish new national nutritional standards to help

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