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 Statement on Troubled Asset Relief Program Vote

Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate rejected a resolution disapproving of the release of $350 billion for the Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP).  The vote clears the way for the funds to be released to the incoming Obama Administration. Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley voted to release the TARP funds.  Merkley issued

Merkley Statement on Final Passage of Public Lands Bill

Washington, DC – The U.S. Senate today overwhelmingly approved legislation to expand protections for public lands in Oregon and other states.  Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley joined 72 of his colleagues in supporting the bill: “From Mt. Hood to Central Oregon to the Siskiyou National Forest, there are few regions of

Merkley Urges Use of Financial Service Funds to Help Troubled Homeowners

Washington, DC – As the incoming Administration seeks the release of $350 billion in funds designated to help financial service firms, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley is urging President-Elect Barack Obama to use half the funds to directly aid troubled homeowners. Last fall, Congress passed a $700 billion bailout of the

Merkley: Public Lands Bill Clears Important First Hurdle

Washington, DC – A long-delayed public lands bill took a major step toward final passage today.  Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley cast his first vote in the U.S. Senate in support of moving forward on this important piece of legislation.  “Oregonians are rightly proud of our long tradition of protecting our

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