Van Hollen, Merkley, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Protect Aid Workers in Conflict Zones
WASHINGTON – Today, on Human Rights Day, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to protect humanitarian aid workers operating in conflict zones. The lawmakers’ legislation, the Commitment to Aid Workers Act, would strengthen U.S. efforts to safeguard those who risk their
Senate Republicans Block Merkley’s Bill to Prevent War with Venezuela
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked consideration of his Prohibiting Unauthorized Military Action in Venezuela Act of 2025, which would block federal funds from being used for military actions in Venezuela: “As the Constitution so clearly says, Congress has the power
Senators Blunt Rochester, Merkley, Warnock Introduce Bill to Repair Infrastructure, Bridge Communities
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) today introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program,
Senate Bill Includes More than $4 Million for Oregon Law Enforcement and Public Safety Projects
Washington D.C. – Continuing efforts to provide Oregon law enforcement with the tools they need to keep residents safe, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D- Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D- Ore.) announced that Oregon will receive more than $4 million as part of the Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill passed
Merkley Statement on the National Unemployment Rate
Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement today on the announcement by the Department of Labor that the national unemployment rate jumped to 10.2 percent, the highest rate since 1983: “The unemployment rate isn’t just a statistic we use to measure the state of the economy.
Merkley Joins Victims of Employment Discrimination to Support Legislation Providing Protection for LGBT Employees
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined several victims of employment discrimination today in support of bipartisan legislation to provide basic protections against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), introduced by Senator Merkley and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), would
Senior Obama Justice Department Official: Employment Non-Discrimination Act a “Top Legislative Priority”
WASHINGTON, DC – Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez today stated that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is a “top legislative priority” of the Obama Administration. The remark came during a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing focused on the legislation. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the chief Senate co-sponsor
Merkley: Recovery Act Working For Oregon, Created or Saved Over 9,500 Jobs in the State
Washington, D.C. – The Obama Administration announced today that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has created or saved 9,653 jobs in Oregon and over 650,000 jobs nationwide. The figures are based on reports from recipients tracking $150 billion of the $339 billion in Recovery Act spending used for projects
Wyden, Merkley Announce $40 Million To Boost Geothermal Energy in Oregon
Washington, D.C. – Continuing efforts to advance alternative energy resources and break our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) announced nearly $40 million in Recovery Act funding for the exploration and development of geothermal energy technologies in Oregon. “This funding