Jeff Merkley

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor the rich legacy of Tribal communities that have been stewards of the land since time immemorial and reaffirm their sovereignty. We must keep working to address historic and present-day injustices faced by Indigenous communities.

Oregon: TOMORROW is the last day to register to vote. Head over to https://t.co/bLyerDKEL7 to make sure you’re registered.

I’m fighting like hell to stop Trump from rigging the election and to protect our democratic republic. https://t.co/LX5B9QmmGp

As Trump’s lawless federal agents target our communities, I’m fighting to protect our friends and neighbors. https://t.co/qWNk3yxVCv

Thank you to everyone who supported my Race to Save the Senate last weekend! Let’s save our republic! https://t.co/0QYV5okEtV

Trump’s lawless federal agents are terrorizing our communities—and doing nothing to actually keep Oregonians safe. https://t.co/40M893bqiH

.@SteveDaines and I just put forward a bipartisan plan to get the Senate moving again so we can deliver for the American people. https://t.co/SBBYm23Vhk

Oregonians: The last day to register to vote or change your registration is October 13. Don't delay—head over to https://t.co/bLyerDKEL7 today to check your registration!

The Secure Rural Schools program—created by Oregon's own @RonWyden—is a lifeline for rural communities, providing funding that keeps schools and libraries open, maintains roads, and keeps communities safe. We need to pass this extension. https://t.co/pcoSXAysQP

When the Trump Admin. threatened ocean sensors that help manage fisheries, forecast weather, and understand climate change, I worked with colleagues across the aisle to save them. Our bipartisan bill unanimously passed—and the sensors are back in the water!https://t.co/1Uwg5W8StO

ICE and Border Patrol agents are terrorizing our friends and neighbors. Trump’s lawless federal agents trampling due process is completely wrong. These are not Oregon—or American—values. https://t.co/DXiVkFBQ4Z

Trying to get anything done in the Senate feels like wading through tar. @SteveDaines and I have a bipartisan proposal to get back to debating, negotiating, and actually passing bills. https://t.co/3DAE7JpB83

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced more than $1 million in federal awards to help combat the opioid epidemic and to support addiction and recovery services in Eastern Oregon. “The opioid epidemic continues to harm communities across the state, especially in rural areas that often have limited addiction treatment resources,” Wyden said. “I applaud this federal award to the Oregon Washington Health Network that will strengthen addiction and recovery services for Eastern Oregonians, and I will continue to fight for every possible resource to support mental health services and combat the opioid epidemic across Oregon.” “I have heard heart-wrenching stories from Oregonians who have lost loved ones after a prescription for an injury or treatment turned into an addiction,” said Merkley. “Communities need access to addiction and treatment services, and this critical support will help Pendleton improve access to critical services for opioid use disorder.” The $1.05 million in federal awards from Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Communities Opioid Response Program will be distributed to The Oregon Washington Health Network, a non-profit based in Pendleton dedicated to health equity in Umatilla, Union, and Morrow counties in Oregon, and Walla Walla County in Washington. The award will be used to improve access to treatment and recovery services for substance use disorder and opioid use disorder. “In rural communities, access isn’t just about whether a service exists, but whether it’s available when and where people actually need it. These awards give us the opportunity to strengthen the services already working in our communities, expand peer and recovery supports, and create new pathways for people to stay connected to recovery close to home,” said Jenna Stenrud, Executive Director of Oregon Washington Health Network. ###

End the Senate’s Dysfunction and Deliver Results for the American People WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) today announced the rollout of a sweeping bipartisan proposal that would enact major changes to the Senate’s governing rules. These changes would help restore the Senate’s purpose of robust debate and bipartisan policymaking so that the Senate can legislate effectively and tackle pressing challenges facing the country. These major reforms will “Save the Senate.” “For much of our history the American people could rely on the Senate to tackle our hardest challenges. But over the past 50 years, deliberation in the U.S. Senate has all but ground to a halt due to toxic, partisan political culture. As a result, the Senate has become unnecessarily—and unacceptably—diminished as the world’s greatest deliberative body. “Both parties had a role in creating the Senate’s dysfunction, and both parties have a responsibility to fix it. That’s why we’re working together—a Democrat and a Republican—to put forward this proposal to Save the Senate. “Our proposal will incentivize bipartisan cooperation, strengthen committees, empower members of both parties to bring and amend bills on the Senate floor, help prevent government shutdowns, and reduce needless procedural delays. These reforms will help the Senate solve our nation’s problems and deliver results for the American people,” said Daines and Merkley. Specifically, the proposal would: Increase time for debate on more legislation by eliminating cloture votes on nominations, motions to proceed, and amendments. Retains cloture vote prior to final passage under regular order. Create a Senate version of the House “suspension” calendar. Bipartisan bills that have cleared committee would be eligible for swift Senate passage at a two-thirds threshold. Create a fast-track tool that would allow bipartisan bills that have cleared committee to be processed, amended, and passed at a simple majority threshold. Create another fast-track tool that would allow bipartisan spending bills to be brought to the Senate floor, amended, and passed in two days. Read the full details of Daines’ and Merkley’s proposals HERE. ###

Pure corruption. https://t.co/KoyrlALuIk

This summer, I worked with colleagues across the aisle to send an ‘SOS’ call to Save Ocean Sensors—and we WON! These critical sensors are essential for managing our fisheries, forecasting weather, and understanding climate change, and we saved them! https://t.co/nGyUPNDXGc

Programs in Gresham, Beaverton, Salem and Cottage Grove to benefit Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with U.S. Representatives Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, and Maxine Dexter, today announced more than $4.3 million in federal awards to support public safety programs across Oregon. “It is absolutely essential to ensure communities across Oregon are safe, and young people are able to get the support they need in times of crisis,” Wyden said. “These federal grants will help support local police agencies, youth support programs and resources for foster youth. I’ll keep fighting to secure the federal resources Oregon communities need to thrive and stay secure.” “Every Oregon community needs the resources to keep young people safe, support children who have experienced abuse and neglect, and build stronger relationships between families and those who serve them,” said Merkley, who helped secure funding for these community-initiated projects as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “These federal investments will expand mentorship and opportunities for young people, ensure children have access to critical advocacy and medical services, and strengthen public safety infrastructure in several communities across the state. I’ll keep fighting to bring these federal resources home to Oregon and support the local organizations working every day to make our communities safer.” “Beaverton’s Behavioral Health Court is doing important work to help people with mental health challenges who encounter the justice system and put them on a path to recovery,” said Bonamici. “I’m grateful this grant will support this initiative, improve lives, and make our communities safer.” “Investments in emergency response capabilities strengthen our communities,” said Hoyle. “This funding for the Cottage Grove Police Department will replace aging equipment and bolster our emergency preparedness, prioritizing public safety and making it easier for officers to do their jobs.” “Every child deserves to be safe, cared for, and heard. I’m thrilled to have helped secure over $2 million to protect children across Oregon. Because of this funding, children who have experienced abuse or neglect will not have to navigate some of the hardest moments of their lives alone. They will have an advocate in their corner and a safe place to turn to when they need emotional or medical support. I’m proud to see these federal dollars coming home to support the people doing this vital work in our communities,” Salinas said. “Our young people deserve to grow up safe, supported and hopeful about their future,” said Dexter, M.D. “I fought hard to bring this $1 million investment to Gresham because children deserve opportunities to succeed. This funding will connect them with mentors, workforce readiness and programs that prevent and reduce involvement in violent crime and strengthen public safety efforts for youth and families in East Multnomah County. Investing in our children makes Oregon stronger.” The $4.3 million in federal awards from the Department of Justice’s Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grants program will be distributed as follows: $1.05 million to the City of Gresham to expand the East Multnomah Outreach Prevention Intervention initiative to prevent and combat juvenile delinquency, reduce youth involvement in violent crime, and strengthen coordinated public safety efforts for youth and families in East Multnomah County. $1 million to Liberty House in Salem to increase medical clinic services to children who are victims of abuse or neglect in Marion and Polk Counties. $1.03 million to the Oregon CASA Network in Salem to support its work to provide foster children the advocacy and support of an assigned Court Appointed Special Advocate. $500,000 to the City of Beaverton to support the Behavioral Health Court program that targets defendants with criminal cases in the Beaverton Municipal Court who are the top utilizers of legal, jail or emergency room services living in the Beaverton area. $800,000 to the City of Cottage Grove to support modernizing the Cottage Grove Police Department fleet and communications infrastructure to facilitate a department-wide transition to community-oriented policing practices. “This funding will support Court Appointed Special Advocate programs across the state in recruiting and retaining volunteers who provide advocacy, encouragement, and a sense of stability to children impacted by abuse and neglect,” said Stephanie Brown, State Director, Oregon CASA Network. “Our advocates are in every corner of the state, getting to know the unique needs of each child they serve, and advocating for them in court, in school, and in the community. We appreciate the efforts of our elected officials to make this valuable investment in Oregon’s future which will help many of the state’s most vulnerable reach their full potential. “Recovery takes time, care and support,” said Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty. “Our Behavioral Health Court team understands that and helps participants get treatment and rebuild their lives. I’m proud of the work Judge Britton and her team do every day, and grateful to Senator Wyden and Congresswoman Salinas for supporting it. This investment will make a real difference for our neighbors and the safety of our community.” ###

And if the door is open to Saudi Arabia enriching uranium, other countries—including Iran—will never agree to accept restrictions on enrichment. This is a path to a nuclear warhead arms race, endangering the whole world’s security.

What’s the Trump Admin. saying about this? That we should trust the Saudi government. HELL NO. If Saudi Arabia were serious about giving up its goal of building a nuclear bomb, it would agree to comprehensive inspections and give up domestic enrichment and reprocessing power.

In July, Trump announced a deal that creates a path to enriching uranium in Saudi Arabia—a deal that raises a real possibility of Saudi Arabia using that enriched uranium to build a nuclear bomb.

And to put this into further context, Trump and Republicans railed against Obama’s 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which capped enrichment at 3.67% for 15 years. Want to know how much the Trump Administration deal with Saudi Arabia opens the door to? 20%!!!

So, I’m sounding the alarm about this, because promises that the Saudi nuclear program will be purely for civilian use are bogus. I will fight like hell to make sure we don’t sleepwalk into a dangerous deal.

Every year as Oregon’s Senator I hold a town hall in each county—over 650 in total. Hearing directly from Oregonians in every corner of the state, from Brookings to Baker City, shapes the work I do and how I advocate for our communities in the Senate.

We’re about to sleepwalk into a gravely dangerous nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, and not enough people are talking about this. Here’s what’s happening (thread)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, at the request of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report detailing that every $1 the federal government invests in flood adaptations can save taxpayers nearly $2 in disaster spending, as well as reduce National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims. “Every year, billions of taxpayer dollars are spent cleaning up and restoring the damage caused by flood waters. From coastal towns to rural communities, climate change related events are exasperating federal resources that are allocated to help families rebuild from these costly disasters,” said Merkley. “Today, CBO confirms that a simple way for the federal government to be a better steward of taxpayer money, is to invest in flood adaptation methods—such as repairing local dams and levees or working to elevate high-risk properties. We owe it to the American people to make investments that will not only protect their property and surrounding community but also save lives.” In his June letter, Merkley specifically asked CBO to estimate the amount of potential future savings that could accrue to the federal government for every dollar it spends on flood adaptation and mitigation. A previous CBO report published in September 2024 detailed how spending for adaptations can reduce flood damage. CBO breaks down the 30-year savings as for every $1 billion spent in prevention in present-value terms: Future flood damage costs will decrease by $3 to $4 billion, Taxpayers will save $1.8 billion in disaster spending, and NFIP claims reduced by $300 million, mostly benefiting ratepayers through lower premiums. CBO’s full report is HERE. ###