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Risch, Merkley Introduce Bill to Remove Roadblocks for Youth Corps Public Lands Projects

April 1, 2025

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced legislation to reduce federal cost-sharing requirements for public lands projects performed by qualified youth or conservation corps from 25% to 10%. “Current cost-sharing requirements prevent youth conservation corps from carrying out important public lands projects,” said Risch. “My bill reduces this

Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Demand FEMA Responds to Questions about Disaster Victim Data, Mass Firings, and Funding Freezes

March 7, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined their colleagues to call on the leadership of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond to unanswered questions about Elon Musk’s so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) and its reported access to sensitive disaster victim data. The Senators

Senators Merkley, Heinrich, King Join Illegally Fired Federal Workers to Stress Dangers of Public Lands Staffing Shortages

March 6, 2025

***VIDEO FROM ROUNDTABLE HERE*** Washington, D.C. – Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Senate Energy and Natural Resources National Parks Subcommittee Ranking Member Senator Angus King (I-ME) held a virtual roundtable with public lands employees

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Demand Answers About Elon Musk and DOGE’s Access to Disaster Victims’ Personal Data

February 18, 2025

Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined Senate colleagues to demand answers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator, on the potential security breach created by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which has reportedly accessed the sensitive personal data of disaster

Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Exempt Seasonal Firefighters from Federal Hiring Freeze

February 11, 2025

Washington D.C.—U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today joined their Senate colleagues to urge the Trump Administration to exempt seasonal firefighters from the federal hiring freeze that’s reportedly preventing the hiring and onboarding of seasonal firefighters, a workforce that already struggles with recruitment and retention. “We write today following

Heinrich, Murray, Merkley, Klobuchar Demand Answers from USDA on Wildfire Mitigation Projects, Firefighting Hiring Halted by Trump’s Funding Freeze

February 11, 2025

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ranking Member

Merkley, Heinrich, Western Senators: Trump’s Illegal Funding Cuts Threatening Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

February 10, 2025

Washington, D.C. – Today, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, and New Mexico’s Senator Martin Heinrich, Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, led a group

Merkley, Wyden Announce $5.4 Million for Hazardous Fuels Transportation Projects to Reduce Wildfire Risk in Oregon

November 14, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced $5,416,405 is coming to Oregon from the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest investment in clean energy and climate action ever—for hazardous fuels transportation projects across the state. The federal funding awarded by the U.S. Forest Service will reduce the

Oregon Delegation Seeks Federal Help for State’s Record Fire Season

October 24, 2024

Citing severe damages to Central and Eastern Oregon, state lawmakers’ letter asks President Biden: “to swiftly provide the federal resources for our communities to recover and rebuild.” Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s entire congressional delegation today urged President Biden to grant Governor Kotek’s request that Oregon receive a major disaster declaration in

Merkley, Wyden: $1 Million Federal Investment Will Build Resiliency to Wildfires, Smoke in Lane County

October 3, 2024

Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that $997,622 is coming to Lane County to build resiliency in the face of climate chaos-fueled wildfires and smoke. This funding under the historic Inflation Reduction Act—the largest investment in climate action in history—will help improve air