Press Releases

Merkley, Wyden Lead the Charge to Limit DHS’ Use of Facial Recognition Technology Amid Trump’s Rapidly Growing Surveillance State

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they introduced the ICE Out of Our Faces Act. The bicameral legislation would rein in the use of facial recognition technology (FRT) by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), banning agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs

Klobuchar, Heinrich, Merkley, Colleagues Raise Concerns About National Trail Program

WASHINGTON – Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies are

Senate Passes Christmas Tree Resolution

Washington, DC- Today, the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution sponsored by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley designating the first full week of December in 2011 as “National Christmas Tree Week”.  “This resolution honors the joy that Christmas trees bring to families every December, and also the Oregon farms and

Senate Sends Message To President: Bring U.S. Forces In Afghanistan Home Faster

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate passed an amendment introduced by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley requiring President Obama to develop a plan to expedite the reduction in U.S. forces in Afghanistan and to make periodic reports to Congress on the progress of that plan. “Our American forces have successfully

Merkley: Help Working Families Like the Fed Helped Big Banks

Washington, DC– Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today wrote a letter to President Obama after news broke that the Federal Reserve secretly loaned or guaranteed $7.7 trillion to major financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, and J.P. Morgan.  It is reported by Bloomberg Markets Magazine that the Wall

Merkley: We Need to Focus on Jobs

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley issued the following statement regarding press reports that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction would be unable to come up with a deficit-reduction agreement, triggering $1.2 trillion in automatic defense and domestic spending cuts:  “The supercommittee failed to reach an agreement for

Bipartisan Amendment Calls for Accelerated Handover in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, DC – Ten years after the start of the war in Afghanistan, more than one hundred thousand American troops remain in that nation, providing military and security assistance to the Afghanistan government.  A bipartisan group of senators today offered an amendment to the Defense Authorization bill to urge the

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