Jeff Merkley

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Senate Ag Committee, led 25 colleagues in pressing the USDA for information about previously approved funding for food banks and other emergency providers.  USDA’s taking away funds from the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which the lawmakers said will hurt hungry Americans who already face high grocery prices and hurts American farmers get

Under a recently proposed bill, the federal government would prioritize use of mass timber in construction.  Senators from Oregon and Idaho are leading the bipartisan effort to pass the Mass Timber Federal Buildings Act.  The bill would make it a preference to use mass timber in federal construction projects.   Mass timbe...

Senators from Oregon and Idaho are pushing for Congress to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools Act before funding runs out.  States with timber on federal land depend on the program for funding schools and other projects that would have been paid for by timber harvests, which aren’t allowed on federal land.   “The S...

The Trump Administration says it's reviewing federal spending, in an effort to cut waste, and that has some Oregon lawmakers concerned about what MIGHT be deemed wasteful.  With the ongoing threat of cuts to federal programs and funding, Oregon stands to lose millions in anticipated payments.  U....

Nearly $760,000 in federal funds are coming to three western states, including Oregon, to help boost monarch butterfly populations.  U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley said the funding will benefit two projects in Oregon.   “One is to restore acres and make them better pollinator habitats, and also better acres for the monarch itself, which involves - you gotta make sure you’ve got some milkweed in there;

Oregon’s senators announced funding Monday for a trio of Central Oregon irrigation projects.  Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced $37.4 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for piping projects in Central Oregon that the two say will boost drought resiliency, conserve almost 5,000 acre-feet of water annually, and create stronger aquatic ecosystems in the Deschutes River Basin.   “Benef... Read

The state of Oregon was recently awarded $956,333 for a project to rehabilitate a McMinnville multifamily affordable housing complex that serves farmworkers and their families.  The announcement of the USDA funds was made Tuesday by Oregon’s Senators Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden and Representative Andrea Salinas.  Community Hom...

On Friday, Oregon senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced funding they say will boost habitat restoration in the eastern portion of the state.  The $679,690 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will go to five projects, supporting management of invasive grasses, reducing wildfire risks, and restoring sagebrush habitat.   “Rest...

Oregon will receive more than $9.4 million dollars from the USDA to address wildfire threats in three National Forest areas.  U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley said the allocation is needed to address the risk climate change poses to the state.   “...

On Tuesday, Oregon senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged the Department of the Interior to support Governor Tina Kotek’s request for emergency authorizations to allow flexibility in grazing schedules.  Kotek’s request would also use alternative grazing areas in response to the current wildfire disaster in Oregon.     “The grazi...