Tag: Natural Resources and Rural Development

Wyden, Merkley, Announce Passage of Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Bill

Washington, D.C. – Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley celebrated the Senate passage of the Devil’s Staircase Wilderness Act today, which will permanently conserve thousands of acres of pristine forest near the Southern Oregon coast. The bill now goes to the House.  “The proposed Devil’s Staircase Wilderness area is

Merkley Introduces Amendment to Immigration Bill to Protect Forest Jobs

Washington – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill that would tighten restrictions on a visa program that was used to hire foreign workers at the expense of Oregon forest workers. The amendment is similar to a bill he offered earlier this year

Merkley Introduces Bill to Protect Forest Jobs

Washington – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley introduced The American Jobs in American Forests Act to tighten restrictions on a visa program that was used to hire foreign workers at the expense of Oregon forest workers. In 2011, the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor released an audit

Merkley Applauds Forest Service Action on “Next Generation” Airtankers

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the U.S. Forest Service announced it would award operating contracts for “Next Generation” airtankers to be used in wildfire suppression:  “I am pleased that the Forest Service is moving forward to get these planes into service. Last

Committee Passes Merkley Amendment Aimed at Creating Jobs in Overgrown Forests

WASHINGTON, D.C.—An amendment by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley aimed at putting people to work in the woods and improving the health of our overgrown forests passed the Senate Budget Committee today with bipartisan support.  This amendment to the funding outline for fiscal year 2014 makes it possible for Congress to

Merkley, Wyden Introduce Amendment to Keep Air Traffic Control Towers Open

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today cosponsored a bipartisan amendment that would keep open air traffic control towers in Oregon that are slated to be closed due to the automatic spending cuts known as the “sequester.”  This amendment would help five airports in Oregon — North Bend,

Merkley Calls On Interior to Fix Error Costing Oregon Timber Counties

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley today called on the Department of the Interior to fix a mistake that cost 18 Oregon timber counties approximately $2 million in lost Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding. Due to the automatic spending cuts known as the “sequester,” 5.1% of SRS funding, which compensates the

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