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
Wyden, Merkley Co-Sponsor Bill to Expand Access to SNAP, Repeal Republicans’ Punitive Eligibility Rules
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced they are co-sponsoring legislation that would help more Americans have access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a crucial safety net that stands between thousands of Oregonians and hunger. “Oregonians should not have to choose between putting food
Merkley Calls for Stronger Food Safety Laws and Urges Senate to Quickly Pass Food Safety Bill
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today met with state public health officials and families of children who have been sickened by food-borne illnesses to talk about the need for stronger food safety laws and increased measures to track contaminated food. A food safety bill is currently pending in
Merkley Stresses College Affordability with UO Students and Calls for More Educational Opportunities
Eugene, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley met with University of Oregon students and faculty on campus today to stress the importance of education and college affordability and highlight the recent changes to student lending programs and the federal Pell Grant program. Merkley called for support of college affordability programs
Senate Supplemental Spending Bill Includes $10 Million for Klamath Drought Relief
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden successfully amended a Senate emergency spending bill to include $10 million in drought relief for farmers and ranchers in the Klamath Basin. In an unusual move, Representative Greg Walden came over to the Senate side of the Capitol to
Merkley Introduces Nationwide Bill to Encourage Electric Vehicle Deployment
Washington, DC— Senators Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced today the “Electric Vehicle Deployment Act of 2010,” a bill that promotes the rapid, near-term deployment of plug-in electric drive motor vehicles. The bill would create “deployment communities” across the country, where targeted incentive programs for
Merkley, Wyden Announce Almost $500,000 in ARRA funding for Pendleton School District
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced today that the U.S. Department of Education has recently awarded the Pendleton School District $446,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds to make improvements to Lincoln Primary School. “These ARRA funds will not only put
Senators Introduce Bill to Provide Relief to Americans Struggling with Medical Debt
Washington, D.C. – Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Tom Harkin (D-IA) introduced legislation today that will prohibit companies from using paid off or settled medical debt in assessing consumer credit scores. The Medical Debt Relief Act will assist