WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Today, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) sent a letter to Secretary Antony Blinken urging him to ensure the State Department addresses mounting human rights concerns and fully integrates human rights priorities into the U.S.-Vietnam bilateral relationship. The letter ca  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) was joined by Reps. Zach Nunn (IA-03), Debbie Wasserman Shultz (FL-25), and Susan Wild (PA-07) in introducing the Helping to Optimize Patients' Experience (HOPE) with Fertility Services Act, which aims to improve access to infertility treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF). Specifically, the bipartisan proposal would require private health insurance plans to cover  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed appropriations legislation to fund the Department of Defense (DOD), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the Department of State for Fiscal Year 2025. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) supported the proposals, which included Community Project Funding for the 5th District and key investments to secure the southern border and combat the fentanyl cr  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, R-Oregon, issued the following news release: This week, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024 (H.R. 8812), which authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) Civil Works Program for projects to improve the nation's water infrastructure. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) voted for the proposal and successfully secured several provisions to help study and pre  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The letter comes after the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the prevalence of youth e-cigarette use and ahead of June 30th deadline for FDA to complete its e-cigarette PMTA reviews CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Thom T  more

WASHINGTON, June 29 -- Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Oregon, chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries, issued the following statement on June 27, 2024: * * * Today, the Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries held a subcommittee hearing on four bills related to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including a fix for the disastrous proposed speed rule and updates to data collection for fisheries. Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Bentz   more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on June 27, 2024: * * * Today U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), a proud member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed the Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United Statescase, temporarily upholding the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA): "The U.S. Supreme Court punted the decision on whether abortions can be provi  more

WASHINGTON, June 29 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on June 28, 2024: * * * Today, the U.S. Supreme Court released its ruling on Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, gutting the landmark 1984 Chevron v. NRDC case that established the Chevron Doctrine. The 1984 Chevron decision determined that courts would defer to federal subject matter experts when there is a need for reasonable interpretation of laws. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04) released the following statem  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on June 26, 2024: Today, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA). It authorizes construction projects, studies and other infrastructure activities for U.S. waterways and ports. This bipartisan legislation also includes key priorities championed by Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04). The bill will next go to the full U.S. House of Represent  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following statement on June 24, 2024: * * * Today, U.S. Representative Val Hoyle (OR-04), a proud member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, released the following statement on the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade: "This anniversary serves as a reminder that the fight for reproductive equality is far from over. Anti-choice extremists are still working to take away reproductive freedo  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) today released the following statement regarding Philippine Senator Leila de Lima, who was cleared of the third and final charge against her. Former Senator de Lima was detained by the Duterte government on trumped-up charges in 2017 and jailed for nearly seven years due to her outspoken defense of  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: The Stop Comstock Act would repeal the 1873 law that could be misused to ban abortion nationwide Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley joined a bill led by U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) to repeal an arcane 1873 law, called the Comstock Act, that Republicans and anti-choice extremists want to misuse to ban medication abortion nationwide. Comstock has been cited recently by U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Ali  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding the City of Bend a total of $5 million in federal funding to support the city's efforts to enhance affordable housing accessibility through planning, infrastructure improvements, development, and preservation activities. "Ensuring access to safe and affordable housing  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced they joined their colleagues in introducing a Senate resolution recognizing June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. The resolution--authored by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH)--highlights the contributions LGBTQ+ Americans have made to our country, notes several major milestones in the fight for equal treatment of LGBTQ+ Americans, and resolves to continue ef  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06), announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is awarding nearly $43 million in federal funding from its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program to projects in Portland, Warm Springs  more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, along with Representatives Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), and Andrea Salinas (OR-06), announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is awarding nearly $43 million in federal funding from its Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant program to projects in Portland, Warm Springs, an  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court's decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Dept. of Commerce: "This is a naked power grab by the corrupt MAGA Supreme Court. Their decision replaces reasonable applications of congressional intent--crafted by expert professionals--with the capricious opinion of unaccountable judges.  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court's decision in Ohio v. EPA, which put a hold on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s 'Good Neighbor Plan' while lower courts consider the case on its merits: "Time after time, the EPA has acted to clean up our air as the law requires. The 'Good Neighbor Plan' specifically addresses the harm from ozone pollut  more

WASHINGTON, June 29 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award from No One Left Behind for his leadership of the Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visas (SIV) program. Blumenauer, an early opponent of the invasion of Iraq, became a champion for Iraqi and Afghan allies after meeting with a Lincoln High School social studies class in 2007. The class had become aware of an Afghan interpreter who se  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on June 26, 2024: Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today called on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to step up oversight and enforcement of Medicare Part D program requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that protect pharmacies from unfair contracting practices. "I am alarmed to hear reports that PBM contracting practices are   more

WASHINGTON, June 25 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement from a June 18, 2024, hearing entitled "Work and Social Security Disability Benefits: Addressing Challenges and Creating Opportunities": * * * This morning the Finance Committee gathers to discuss how to update and strengthen Social Security disability programs to make it easier to work for Americans who have a severe disability and want to attempt to work again. When I t  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on June 26, 2024: * * * Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today released the following statement on the new U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG) report, "Many States Lack Information To Monitor Maltreatment in Residential Facilities for Children in Foster Care," which Wyden and colleagues requested in 2020: "This   more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement on June 27, 2024: * * * Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today issued a statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a case to determine whether hospitals that participate in Medicare are required to provide abortions to those entering an emergency room in need of health care to stabilize an emergency medical condition under federal law governed by the E  more

WASHINGTON, June 28 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., today highlighted their support for a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposal to update national standards in electronic health record systems to include preferred names and pronouns, and to record a patient's sex parameter for clinical use in medical records to ensure accurate treatment - which are essential to allowing providers to give LG  more

WASHINGTON, June 24 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Funding from USDA Rural Development Provides Assistance to Rural Communities in Oregon and Across the Nation Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that the federal government is making available $25 million through the broadband technical assistance program to help local organizations, cooperatives and Tribes expand affordable, high-speed internet projects in rural communities throughout Oregon  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Program provides funds to communities that support Oregon's public lands, waters; invests in firefighters, police, schools, road construction Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced counties throughout Oregon will receive more than $30.1 million in Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for 2024. Because local governments cannot tax federal lands, annual PILT payments help to defray the costs a  more

WASHINGTON, June 26 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: In 2023, EV sales hit a record, surpassing one million cars sold Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined 12 of their colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to bolster and diversify the nation's domestic supply of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, including promoting EV battery recycling. Congress has taken bipartisan steps to support EV battery recycling. The Infrastructure Investment an  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced today they've co-sponsored legislation that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and make other changes to expand the award for working students and families. The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act would also make Pell Grant funding fully mandatory, expand the program to include DREAMers, and restore life  more

WASHINGTON, June 27 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: Senator Ron Wyden said today he is leading Senate colleagues including U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley in calling on Postmaster General DeJoy and the U.S. Postal Service to share their plans to accommodate high volumes of mail expected in the upcoming 2024 general election in Oregon and nationwide. "In 2020, the Postal Service overcame a series of challenges, including the onset of a global pandemic, to fulfill th  more