At 1,253 miles long, the Columbia River winds its way through the Pacific Northwest. The river and its tributaries touch seven states; people have lived along its banks and drawn their livelihoods from the river since prehistoric times. Seemingly as long and winding these days is getting important bills through
Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after Senate Republicans used a procedural tactic to kill an emergency supplemental spending bill, which included $615 million in emergency funding to fight wildfires in the West. “With thousands of acres engulfed in flames in the Northwest, and lives and property in jeopardy,
WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) introduced the Columbia River Restoration Act (CRRA). The CRRA would authorize $50 million over five years for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a voluntary, competitive Columbia Basin grants program for projects that assist in eliminating or reducing
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After months of pressure by Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, other legislators, and advocates around the country, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx announced today that the Department of Transportation (DOT) will take steps to establish new regulations to improve the safe transportation of crude oil by rail.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter sent today, fourteen Members of Congress from Oregon and Washington pressed the administration for continued protection of Oregon’s and Washington’s coasts from offshore drilling. Specifically, the letter urged the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to exclude Oregon and Washington’s Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)
As wildfires spanning nearly 600,000 acres burn across Oregon – with lightning storms predicted for the next 48 hours – Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden led 10 other senators today in sending a letter to Senate leaders calling for swift passage of President Obama’s emergency supplemental funding request,
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced the Senate passage of the Oregon Caves Revitalization Act, their bill to add new protection to one of Oregon’s most unique natural treasures. The bill passed unanimously late Wednesday night. “This bill is another tribute to Oregon’s bounty of
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Oregon Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have called on Congress to pass a proposal from the White House to provide additional fire funding to treat the catastrophic wildfires already raging in states across the western United States. On Tuesday President Obama asked Congress to include an
Washington, D.C. – First responders need more timely and detailed information about crude-by-rail trains in order to better protect communities, according to a letter from the National Transportation Board released today by Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley. The senators urged Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to use
WASHINGTON – Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley applauded the Senate passage of a major bipartisan bill to improve America’s workforce development system and help put Americans back to work. Merkley voted for the bill, which is expected to be signed into law by the president soon. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
English 
Spanish