Tag: Protecting Consumers, Taxpayers, and the Economy

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Merkley, Padilla, Shaheen, Schiff, Rosen, Cortez Masto, Heinrich, Wyden, Klobuchar: CFTC Must Rein in Wildfire Bets on Prediction Markets

August 3, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to press the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on its plans to

Ranking Member Merkley Presses Secretary Burgum on Misusing National Park Service Funding for America 250

July 29, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR)—the lead Democrat overseeing funding for the U.S. Department of the Interior—demanded Interior Secretary Doug Burgum provide urgent answers about the use of National Park Service (NPS) federal funds during America’s 250th celebration. Merkley’s inquiry follows the Trump

New Merkley Bill Tackles Dual Crises of Wildfire Risk and Insurance Affordability

July 23, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today unveiled the Wildfire Insurance Affordability Act, new legislation that would help homeowners reduce wildfire risk, give insurers confidence in lowering home insurance rates in communities at risk of fires, and keep insurers in the market. “The threat of wildfires is sending

Merkley, Krishnamoorthi Fight Back Against Predatory For-Profit Colleges Scamming Students with Worthless College Degrees

July 16, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley and U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08) reintroduced legislation to protect students from predatory higher-education programs—which are often run by for-profit colleges—that target financially vulnerable students, leave borrowers buried in debt, and force taxpayers to foot the bill for federal aid that

Merkley, Wyden Demand Answers on Misuse of Federal Resources After Rushed, Costly Retrofit Job of Trump’s Luxury Jet

July 10, 2026

Last week, Secret Service questioned the security of the gifted aircraft’s retrofit WASHINGTON, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined a dozen of their Senate colleagues in demanding transparency into the taxpayer-funded modification of the $400-million luxury jet gifted to President Trump by the government of Qatar. Since

Merkley, Bipartisan Senators Reintroduce Cannabis Banking Reform

June 25, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley led a bipartisan group of Senators to reintroduce his legislation that would ensure state-legal cannabis businesses can access traditional and secure banking systems and financial services. Even with the recent federal reclassification of cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III at

As Trump Requests $1.5 Trillion for Pentagon, Sens. Markey and Merkley Press for Details on “Golden Dome” $1.2 Trillion Price Tag, Mission

June 17, 2026

Letter Text (PDF) Washington (June 17, 2026) – As Congress considers President Trump’s $1.5 trillion request for Pentagon spending and SpaceX wins billions in Golden Dome contracts, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Representatives John Garamendi (CA-08) and Don Beyer (VA-08), co-chairs of the bicameral Nuclear

New Merkley Bill Clears Barriers to Renewable Energy Projects Nationwide

June 11, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee—released new legislation to oppose discriminatory barriers to renewables enacted by states, counties, and municipalities across the United States. As the Trump Administration increases electricity prices with ever-intensifying attacks on cheap

Merkley Leads New Bill to Prevent LNG Exports from Raising Costs on American Households, Businesses

June 10, 2026

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley—a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee—introduced new legislation that would lower prices for American households by ensuring new liquefied fossil gas (also known as LNG) exports will not result in higher costs for families and businesses.

Merkley: Proposed CFTC Rule Falls Woefully Short of Reining in Insider Trading and Corruption on Prediction Markets