Press Releases

Forty-One Senators Push to Keep Harmful Environmental Riders Out of Appropriations Bills

Senators warn that inclusion of poison pills harming the environment would undermine Senate’s ability to pass bipartisan spending bills Washington, D.C. – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,

Merkley, Salinas, Pacific Northwest Democrats to Secretary Rollins: Act Quickly to Hire Agricultural Research Staff Across the Region

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led a group of their Pacific Northwest colleagues in pressing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins over her commitment to promptly fill critical staff positions that remain vacant at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service

Merkley Statement on Yellen Meeting

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Federal Reserve Chair Nominee Janet Yellen on Wednesday: “Janet Yellen and I had a productive discussion about the Federal Reserve’s role in supporting economic growth and in regulating the financial

Merkley Statement on White House Meeting

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House about the rollout of the Affordable Care Act marketplaces.  “I am very frustrated with the rollout of the exchanges. The dysfunction and delays are unacceptable. After meeting with the President

Bipartisan Group of Senators: It’s Time to Pass ENDA

Washington, DC – Today, after the successful cloture vote to start debate on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) called on the Senate to pass the bill and end LGBT employment discrimination. They said

ENDA Vote Next Week

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after it was announced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which Merkley authored, will be heading for a floor vote next week. “We have a chance next week to pass a landmark civil rights bill that will enshrine in law

Merkley Introduces Legislation to Provide Benefits to Families of Fallen Firefighters

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the Fallen Wildland Firefighters Fair Compensation Act that would allow aerial and ground contracted firefighters to be covered for death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits Act (PSOB). Currently, these benefits are granted to state and local police, firefighters,

Merkley Joins Effort to Focus Washington on Manufacturing Jobs

WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined 21 of his colleagues to launch a campaign to get Washington to refocus on manufacturing jobs. The Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative aims to build bipartisan support for legislation that will modernize America’s manufacturing sector, help American manufacturers grow and create jobs, and

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