NEW: Trump’s War in Iran Cost DoD Nearly $40 Billion and Drove Nearly Half of Inflation, According to CBO Report
Text of Report (PDF) Washington, D.C. – Today, in response to an inquiry led by Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, along with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released new data on the cost of President
Merkley, Williams, Booker Lead Push to Close Constitutional Loophole Allowing for Slavery
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Nikema Williams (GA-05) today teamed up with New Jersey’s U.S. Senator Cory Booker to reintroduce the End the Exception Amendment. The bicameral resolution would strike the ‘Slavery Clause’ of the 13th Amendment, a constitutional loophole that allows slavery “as a punishment
Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Protect Agricultural Water Access Amid Worsening Drought in Oregon
Legislation would help upgrade outdated water infrastructure systems to support agriculture Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today introduced legislation that would help improve water resilience in communities across Oregon and the West as drought in the region persists after last year’s record-low snowpack. “Water scarcity
On Equal Pay Day, Merkley Calls for Renewed Action
WASHINGTON – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement to mark Equal Pay Day – the day each year when women’s earnings catch up to men’s earnings in the previous year. “It is simply outrageous that in the year 2014, every American does not receive equal pay for
Senate Passes Merkley-Backed Extension of Emergency Unemployment Insurance
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate today passed legislation cosponsored by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley and a bipartisan group of Senators to extend emergency federal unemployment benefits. The bipartisan legislation covers workers who have been looking for work for more than six months and includes retroactive payments to those who were
Merkley-Backed Bipartisan Unemployment Deal Moves Toward Final Passage in Senate
WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the bipartisan legislation to extend emergency unemployment benefits overcame its final filibuster in the U.S. Senate with 61 votes, allowing a majority-rules vote on final passage on Monday: “In Oregon and across the nation, families looking for work need
Merkley Announces Fourteen Oregonians Accepted to U.S. Military Academies
Portland, OR – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today announced that fourteen of the approximately 35 nominations that he put forward to the four military academies have been accepted as students for the next year. America’s military academies are among the most selective and difficult to earn admission to among higher
Merkley: Ryan Budget Would Be a Deadly Blow to the American Dream
WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement after Congressman Paul Ryan released his 2015 budget blueprint: “The budget put forth by Congressman Paul Ryan is another attempt to balance the budget on the backs of hardworking middle class families, students and seniors. The Ryan budget would end
Emergency Unemployment Extension Overcomes Key Hurdle
WASHINGTON – Today, the recent bipartisan agreement on an extension of emergency unemployment insurance passed a key hurdle in the U.S. Senate, with 65 Senators voting to move ahead on the bill. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley was among the 10 Senators – five leading Democrats and five leading Republicans –