Washington (June 26, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) today released the following statement regarding Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, who was cleared of the third and final charge against her. Former Senator de Lima was detained by
Letter Text (PDF) WASHINGTON, DC— Today, U.S. Representatives John Garamendi (D-CA-08) and Don Beyer (D-VA-08) and Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), co-chairs of the Congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, led a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin regarding concerns about the Department
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they are co-sponsoring a Senate resolution that acknowledges and apologizes for the mistreatment of and discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals who have served the nation in the uniformed services, as civil servants, or in the Foreign Service. “Even as millions celebrate Pride
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, alongside U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), urge the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to urgently prioritize the application and funding for the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) Roseburg Veterans’ Home project in Fiscal Year 2025. Currently, ODVA operates two high-quality,
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—today led Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken calling for a strong diplomatic response following credible
Washington, D.C. — Rep. Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the bicameral Support for Peace Act, which would permanently establish the Negotiations Support Unit (NSU) at the State Department. The Negotiations Support Unit’s team of peace process, reconciliation, and negotiation experts provide support to U.S. diplomats at
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Indiana’s U.S. Senator Todd Young, and U.S. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA-02) and Michael McCaul (R-TX-10) announced Congress passed their bipartisan bill to enhance U.S. support for Tibet and promote dialogue between the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Dalai Lama toward
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC), announced the introduction of the State Department Integrity and Transparency Act, legislation to strengthen the State Department workforce and ensure senior State Department leaders are selected based on merit—not money or politics. The bill would
Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a member of both the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Appropriations Committee—and House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory W. Meeks (D-NY-05) issued the following statement in response to ongoing violence in Burma’s Rakhine State that further threatens the Rohingya community: “We
The People’s Republic of China continues to brutally suppress Uyghurs and other ethnic groups. The United States must continue to hold officials accountable for these abuses. The Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, which U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) led, was signed into law in 2020 and its sanctions are set
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