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Merkley Pushes Back Against Trump Administration Order to Pollute Our Parks with Plastic Waste

June 3, 2025

Washington, D.C. – As the Trump Administration moves to recklessly reverse a federal policy protecting America’s national parks and public lands from single-use plastics, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today reintroduced his Reducing Waste in National Parks Act. This legislation would restore a previous federal directive, which Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently revoked, to keep plastic waste

Merkley, Whitehouse, Welch, Huffman: at INC-5, U.S. Must Champion Agreement to Address Full Life Cycle of Plastics

November 22, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—joined by U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02)—today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory calling for the United States to use its influence

Merkley: Global Plastics Crisis Requires Global Action

November 22, 2024

Senator traveling to Busan, South Korea, to help shape global plastic pollution agreement Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a leading voice in Congress on the urgent need to address the plastic pollution crisis—today issued the following statement before traveling to the fifth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in Busan,

Merkley Introduces Legislation to Curb Plastic Microfiber Pollution from Laundry

July 31, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today introduced the Fighting Fibers Act of 2024 to address microfiber pollution from clothing. Scientists estimate millions of tons of microfibers enter the ocean every year—making textiles the largest known source of marine microplastic pollution. The Fighting Fibers Act focuses on one

Merkley, Whitehouse, Doggett Urge Fellow Americans to Take ‘Plastic Pollution Action Month’ This July

July 11, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Rhode Island’s U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and U.S. Representative Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37) today introduced a bicameral resolution designating July as Plastic Pollution Action Month. They spotlight the dangers plastic pollution poses to both human health and the environment, and call on Americans

Merkley, Whitehouse, Welch, Huffman: Bold Global Agreement Required to Take on Plastic Pollution Crisis

May 1, 2024

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Peter Welch (D-VT) and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) released the following joint statement today after the conclusion of the fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in Ottawa, Canada: “The global plastic pollution crisis demands bold, urgent action. Plastic

Merkley, Whitehouse, Welch, Huffman Urge Strong, Binding International Plastics Agreement Following INC-4

April 27, 2024

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) today urged for a strong, binding international agreement to curb plastics after attending the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in Ottawa, Canada. “In Ottawa, we pressed U.S. negotiators to join with

Merkley, Whitehouse, Welch, Gillibrand, Huffman Call for Ambitious International Plastics Agreement Ahead of INC-4

April 20, 2024

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) today called for development of an ambitious international treaty to clean up plastic pollution ahead of the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4). Government

Merkley, Huffman Lead 30+ Senate & House Colleagues to Urge Biden Administration to Embrace Strong Action, Combat Plastic Pollution

March 20, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (D-CA-02) led their colleagues today in a letter to encourage U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to push for decisive measures in addressing plastic production at the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)’s current session next month. The lawmakers

Senator Merkley on the Danger of Nanoplastics and Microplastics in Water

March 1, 2024

Senator Jeff Merkley, Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight and Senator Alex Padilla, Chair of the EPW Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, led a joint hearing titled “Understanding the Presence of Microplastics in Water” on February