Tag: Appropriations

Merkley Announces Committee Action to Boost Oregon’s Wildfire Resiliency, Water Infrastructure, and Climate Investments

July 24, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—as the Ranking Member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee—announced he helped advance critical investments to strengthen forest health and wildfire resiliency, protect public lands and the environment, boost important programs for Tribes, and support critical projects for Oregon communities. The federal funding comes

Merkley Remarks at Senate Appropriations Committee Markup of Interior-Environment Appropriations Bill

July 24, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) delivered the following remarks as the Senate Appropriations Committee met for a full committee markup of the fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Senator Merkley’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below: “Thank you,

Merkley Stands to Prevent Trump Cuts to Peace Institute Started by Late OR Senator Hatfield

July 17, 2025

Republicans blocked amendment to “Rescissions Package” to save the United States Institute of Peace from being gutted WASHINGTON, DC – Last night, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and a senior member of the Senate Appropriations and Foreign Relations Committees, offered an amendment to

Merkley Statement on Senate Republicans Rubber Stamping the Trump Administration’s Disastrous DOGE Cuts

July 17, 2025

Senate Republicans Green-lit Cuts to Foreign Aid, Local Public Broadcasting Trump Administration’s Actions of Impounding Funds Remain Illegal WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and a senior member of the Senate Appropriations and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, released the following statement

Merkley, Murray, Heinrich, Klobuchar Demand Immediate Halt to Forest Service Reorganization, Funding Cuts

June 26, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA), Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) directed the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Merkley Slams OMB Director Vought for ‘Unconstitutional Plan to Steal the Power of the Purse’

June 26, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee—issued the following statement after a hearing with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought on President Trump’s request to Congress to implement disastrous federal funding cuts: “Director Vought’s testimony clearly outlined his unconstitutional

Merkley Denounces Reckless Republican Effort to Sell off Public Lands in “One Big, Beautiful Bill”

June 16, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee and the Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, released the below statement following reports that the Republican “One Big, Beautiful Bill” includes provisions that would allow the federal government to sell off millions of acres of federal

Merkley: Trump Firefighting Reorganization Plan ‘Literally Playing with Fire’

June 12, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, the top Democrat on the subcommittee that oversees funding for the U.S. Interior Department and U.S. Forest Service, released the following statement after President Trump issued an executive order directing the agencies to reorganize and consolidate wildland firefighting efforts: “Instead of focusing on

Merkley: Forest Service Dangerously Unprepared for Wildfire Season

June 11, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) issued the following statement after a hearing with U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz on the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the agency: “Forest Service Chief Schultz’s testimony only underscored the immense, serious challenges facing communities

Merkley Remarks at Forest Service Budget Hearing with Chief Schultz