Ranking Member Merkley, Colleagues Denounce Trump Administration’s Partisan Changes to National Park Service Access for 2026
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—the top Democrat overseeing funding for the National Park Service— today led U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jack Reed (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ed Markey (D-MA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Patty Murray (D-WA), Cory
Ranking Member Merkley: Interior-Environment Funding Bill Boosts Wildfire Resiliency, Water Infrastructure, and Climate Investments in Oregon and Across the Nation
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Interior-Environment Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Appropriations bill in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 82-15: “Oregonians turned out in record numbers during my town halls last year and delivered
Merkley, Sullivan, Curtis, Kaine Push for Bipartisan Crackdown on Chinese Government-Controlled Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices in U.S.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and past Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)—teamed up with current CECC Chair Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Senator John Curtis (R-UT), and Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to introduce bipartisan legislation that
Merkley Applauds Release from Strategic Petroleum Reserve
Washington, DC – The Department of Energy announced today that it will sell off 30 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released a statement following the announcement. “I applaud President Obama and the Department of Energy for releasing a small portion of the Strategic
Merkley: It Is Time for a New Direction in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today reiterated his call that the President commit to a sizeable and sustained drawdown of troops from Afghanistan. President Obama is scheduled to speak about the future of that country later tonight. Early news reports indicate that Obama will call for small decreases
Merkley: New Leadership Needed at OCC
Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today urged President Obama to appoint a new head to the Office of the Comptroller of Currency (OCC), a position held for the past several year by Acting Comptroller John Walsh. Merkley’s comments came in response to recent statements from Walsh that criticize
Merkley Statement on the Confirmation of Michael Simon as U.S. District Judge for Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined 63 of his colleagues in voting to confirm Michael Simon of Oregon as a United States District Judge for the District of Oregon. After the vote, Merkley issued the following statement: “Michael Simon is a man of enormous integrity, intellectual breadth and
Senators to FDA: It’s Time to Close the Door on Tobacco Candy
WASHINGTON, DC – A group of Senators, led by Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, are calling on the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) to reverse a recent decision that could potentially open the door to the possible sale of tobacco candy –
Senators Call on President to Shift Strategy in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tom Udall (D-NM) and 24 other senators sent a letter to President Obama today calling for a shift in strategy in Afghanistan ahead of next month’s announced deadline to begin an accelerated transition to Afghan security forces. In the letter, the senators