Press Releases

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,

Merkley: “Making Work Pay” Tax Credit to Benefit 1.4 Million Families

Washington, DC –Today, the Making Work Pay tax credit will go into effect, giving a tax cut to over 110 million American families, including 1.4 million families in Oregon who will save a combined $700 million in federal taxes. The tax credit is part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery

Merkley Joins Bipartisan Effort to Assist Farmers

Washington, DC- Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley joined Senators Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) to introduce bipartisan legislation that will help reduce unnecessary regulations for farmers and ranchers in Oregon and across the nation. Specifically, the legislation would provide exemptions so that interstate trucking regulations would not apply to

Merkley Statement on President Obama Signing Public Lands Bill Into Law

Washington, DC – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement on President Obama signing the public lands bill into law: “I’m proud that President Obama and Congress have taken action and ensured the preservation of wilderness areas in Oregon and across the country,” said Merkley.  “After years of this

Merkley Praises Passage of National Service Bill

WASHINGTON, DC –The U.S. Senate last night passed legislation to strengthen programs that encourage community service, a major priority of President Barack Obama.  Senator Jeff Merkley worked to ensure the funding can be used for programs that task volunteers with restoring forest health and reducing wildfire risk on Oregon’s public

Merkley: Green Collar Jobs Boost Economy and Preserve Environment

Portland – Window by window, door by door, bathtub by bathtub, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley learned how DeConstruction Services is assembling the green collar economy. Merkley toured the ReBuilding Center’s DeConstruction Services project at NE 120th Ave. and Burnside in Portland today to learn more about how their hand-dismantling of

en_USEnglish