Press Releases

Forty-One Senators Push to Keep Harmful Environmental Riders Out of Appropriations Bills

Senators warn that inclusion of poison pills harming the environment would undermine Senate’s ability to pass bipartisan spending bills Washington, D.C. – Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works; Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,

Merkley, Salinas, Pacific Northwest Democrats to Secretary Rollins: Act Quickly to Hire Agricultural Research Staff Across the Region

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Andrea Salinas (OR-06) led a group of their Pacific Northwest colleagues in pressing U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins over her commitment to promptly fill critical staff positions that remain vacant at USDA’s Agricultural Research Service

Merkley, Wyden Announce $250,000 for Housing Assistance in Warm Springs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced Tuesday that the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation will receive $250,000 to assist victims of domestic violence with transitional housing and additional housing support.  The grant comes from the U.S. Department of Justice. “Victims of domestic violence

Merkley, Wyden Announce Over $1.7 Million to Enhance Production of Specialty Crops

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that the Oregon Department of Agriculture will receive $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enhance the production and sale of specialty crops.   Oregon ranks fifth in the nation in production of specialty crops, which

Merkley: Small Business Bill is Great News for Job Creation

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Senate passed the Small Business Jobs Act Thursday by a vote of 61 to 38.  The legislation includes two programs modeled on legislation introduced by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley: The Small Business Lending Fund and the Small Business Jump Start Act. “Small businesses in Oregon

Merkley: $10 Million for Klamath Basin is on its way

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Interior announced today that $10 million in drought relief funding for Klamath Basin farmers, ranchers, and tribes is on its way to the region. Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, who fought for the funding in the Senate, released the following statement:  “I’m excited that

Merkley: Warren is the Right Choice to Lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the news of Elizabeth Warren’s pending appointment to head the effort to get the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau established: “There isn’t a candidate more fit to get the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency up and running than Elizabeth

Merkley: $117 Million to Prevent Teacher Layoffs on the Way to Oregon

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Education announced this week that $117 million to help prevent mass teacher layoffs will be arriving in Oregon within a matter of days.  The emergency funding will save the jobs of approximately 1,600 Oregon teachers and help improve education for children throughout the

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