Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Contact
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753
Last 5 Actions
Cosponsored S. 646: Born in the USA Act (Feb. 20, 2025)
Cosponsored S. 455: Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (Feb. 13, 2025)
Cosponsored S. 461: Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2025 (Feb. 12, 2025)
Cosponsored S. 398: NO BAN Act (Feb. 5, 2025)
Voted No: On Passage of the Bill to S. 5: Laken Riley Act (Jan. 20, 2025)
S. 4393: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2024 (May 22, 2024)
S. 831: Transnational Repression Policy Act (March 16, 2023)
S. 646: Born in the USA Act (Feb. 20, 2025)
S. 455: Protecting Sensitive Locations Act (Feb. 13, 2025)
S. 461: Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2025 (Feb. 12, 2025)
S. 398: NO BAN Act (Feb. 5, 2025)
S. 136: United States-Cuba Trade Act of 2025 (Jan. 16, 2025)
S. 3591: Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act (Nov. 14, 2024)
S. 4961: NO BAN Act (Aug. 1, 2024)
S. 4723: Keep Families Together Act (July 11, 2024)
S. 1885: Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act (April 30, 2024)
S. 3276: HOPE Act (Feb. 7, 2024)
S. 3278: I-VETS Act (Feb. 7, 2024)
S. 3280: Veterans Visa and Protection Act of 2023 (Feb. 7, 2024)
S. 3712: A bill to amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to treat United States Citizenship and Immigration Services field offices as voter registration agencies, and for other purposes. (Jan. 31, 2024)
S. 3714: GRACE Act (Jan. 31, 2024)
S. 3323: PROKID Act (Nov. 15, 2023)
S. 3128: Protecting Unaccompanied Children Act (Oct. 25, 2023)
S. 3065: Fair Day in Court for Kids Act of 2023 (Oct. 17, 2023)
S. 270: Protecting America's Meatpacking Workers Act of 2023 (Sept. 13, 2023)
S. 2789: African Diaspora Heritage Month Act of 2023 (Sept. 13, 2023)
S. 2175: ASPIRE Act (June 22, 2023)
S. 1963: College for All Act of 2023 (June 14, 2023)
S. 1263: Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act of 2023 (April 25, 2023)
S. 1187: Fairness to Freedom Act of 2023 (April 18, 2023)
S. 1084: ERRPA (March 30, 2023)
S. 1031: EACH Act of 2023 (March 29, 2023)
S. 761: Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2023 (March 9, 2023)
S. 665: Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act (March 6, 2023)
S. 5 : Laken Riley Act
On Passage of the Bill -- Voted No (Jan. 20, 2025)
S. 5 : Laken Riley Act
On the Coons Amendment to remove state Attorney General standing to sue to stop administrations from violating provisions of immigration law -- Voted Yes (Jan. 15, 2025)
S. 5 : Laken Riley Act
On the Cornyn amendment to make aliens who assault a law enforcement officer inadmissible and deportable -- Voted No (Jan. 15, 2025)
H.R. 815 : Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.
On the Motion -- Voted No (April 23, 2024)
H.R. 815 : Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.
On the Cloture Motion -- Voted No (April 23, 2024)
H.R. 815 : Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.
On the Motion to Table -- Voted No (April 23, 2024)
H.R. 2882 : Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Motion to Table -- Voted Yes (March 23, 2024)
H.R. 2882 : Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Motion to Table -- Voted No (March 23, 2024)
H.R. 2882 : Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Motion to Table -- Voted No (March 23, 2024)
H.R. 2882 : Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Motion to Table -- Voted No (March 23, 2024)
H.R. 4366 : Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Motion -- Voted No (March 8, 2024)
H.R. 4366 : Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Motion -- Voted No (March 8, 2024)
H.R. 4366 : Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Cloture Motion -- Voted Yes (March 8, 2024)
H.R. 4366 : Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
On the Motion to Table -- Voted No (March 8, 2024)
H.R. 7463 : Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024
On the Motion -- Voted No (Feb. 29, 2024)
H.R. 7463 : Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024
On Passage of the Bill -- Voted Yes (Feb. 29, 2024)
H.R. 2872 : Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.
On Passage of the Bill -- Voted Yes (Jan. 18, 2024)
H.R. 2872 : Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.
On the Motion -- Voted No (Jan. 18, 2024)
H.R. 2670 : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
On the Conference Report -- Voted No (Dec. 13, 2023)
H.R. 2670 : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
On the Cloture Motion -- Voted No (Dec. 12, 2023)
H.R. 2670 : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
On the Motion to Table -- Voted No (Dec. 12, 2023)
H.R. 6363 : Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024
On Passage of the Bill -- Voted Yes (Nov. 15, 2023)
H.R. 5860 : Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act
On Passage of the Bill -- Voted Yes (Sept. 30, 2023)
S. 2226 : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
On Passage of the Bill -- Voted No (July 27, 2023)
S. 2226 : National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024
On the Cloture Motion -- Voted Yes (July 18, 2023)
S.J.Res. 18 : A joint resolution disapproving of the rule submitted by the Department of Homeland Security relating to "Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility".
On the Joint Resolution -- Voted No (May 17, 2023)
Padilla, Schiff Urge Attorney General Bondi to Reverse Course on Unjustified Firings of Immigration Judges
March 31, 2025"U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined 64 House and Senate Democrats in urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to reverse the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s (EOIR) alarming decision to fire immigration judges even as the immigration courts currently face a staggering backlog of immigration cases. In February, EOIR abruptly fired 20 immigration judges, removed all nine Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) judges appointed during the Biden Administration, and terminated four individuals in senior EOIR leadership positions, with indications they may remove even more judges."
Rep. Yassamin Ansari, Rep. Becca Balint, Rep. Sanford Bishop, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, Sen. Sherrod Brown, Rep. Sean Casten, Rep. Gerry Connolly, Rep. Lou Correa, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, Rep. Warren Davidson, Rep. Danny Davis, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Dick Durbin, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, Rep. Chuy García, Rep. Dan Goldman, Rep. Jahana Hayes, Sen. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Rep. Jared Huffman, Rep. Jonathan Jackson, Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Rep. Hank Johnson, Sen. Tim Kaine, Rep. Ro Khanna, Sen. Andy Kim, Sen. Angus King, Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rep. George Latimer, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Stephen Lynch, Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Betty McCollum, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. Grace Meng, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Patty Murray, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Sen. Alex Padilla, Rep. Frank Pallone, Rep. Mark Pocan, Rep. Jamie Raskin, Sen. Jack Reed, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Rep. Deborah Ross, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Sen. Brian Schatz, Sen. Adam Schiff, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Melanie Stansbury, Rep. Tom Suozzi, Rep. Bennie Thompson, Rep. Jill Tokuda, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Rep. Nydia Velázquez, Sen. Mark Warner, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep. Maxine Waters, Sen. Peter Welch, Sen. Sheldon WhitehouseSen. Schiff Leads Senators in Demanding DHS Release Detained Harvard Medical School Researcher
March 31, 2025“Absent evidence that Petrova is a flight risk or a danger to the community, we strongly urge you to reconsider ICE’s recent decision not to grant Petrova parole and exercise discretion within your authority to release her from detention while her asylum case is pending.”
“We urge the Administration to ensure full due process in her case and take all appropriate and necessary measures to ensure she is not deported to Russia.”
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Angus King, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Adam Schiff, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Peter Welch, Sen. Sheldon WhitehousePadilla Urges President Trump to Abandon Use of Family Detention
March 19, 2025Senators to Trump: “There is simply no basis for reinstating this cruel, ineffective, and costly practice, particularly when there are effective solutions that, unlike family detention, do not permanently damage children’s health and well-being”
Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Jon Ossoff, Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Peter Welch, Sen. Ron WydenHirono, Ossoff Lead Colleagues in Demanding Trump Administration Ensure Legal Representation for Vulnerable Children in Immigration System
March 10, 2025U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) led 30 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, demanding that the Trump Administration continue legal services for unaccompanied children caught up in the immigration system as required by law. Last month, the Trump Administration issued a stop work order to organizations that provide legal services for unaccompanied children. Later that week, following public pressure, the order was rescinded. In 2023, Senator Hirono reintroduced the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act, legislation to provide unaccompanied children with access to legal representation when they appear in proceedings before an immigration judge.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Mark Kelly, Sen. Andy Kim, Sen. Angus King, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Jon Ossoff, Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Adam Schiff, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Peter Welch, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Sen. Ron WydenSens. Ossoff, Hirono Lead 32 Senators Demanding Trump Administration Ensure Legal Representation for Vulnerable Children in Immigration System
March 5, 2025"Today, Sens. Ossoff and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) led a group of 32 Senators demanding that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum continue legal services for unaccompanied children caught up in the immigration system as required by law."
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Dick Durbin, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Mark Kelly, Sen. Andy Kim, Sen. Angus King, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Jon Ossoff, Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Gary Peters, Sen. Jacky Rosen, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Adam Schiff, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Peter Welch, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, Sen. Ron WydenHeinrich, Schatz Lead Colleagues in Demanding Trump’s DHS Immediately End Wrongful ICE Searches & Harassment of Tribal Members, Uphold U.S. Trust and Treaty Responsibility with Tribal Nations
Feb. 20, 2025"U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Vice Chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, led 13 of their Democratic colleagues in demanding that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uphold the United States’ trust and treaty responsibility with Tribal nations and their citizens by ending wrongful searches and interrogations of Tribal members."
Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Angus King, Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Brian Schatz, Sen. Tina Smith, Sen. Mark Warner, Sen. Ron WydenMerkley: Trump is trying to end birthright citizenship
Jan. 27, 2025"On his first day in office, Donald Trump signed an executive order to end birthright citizenship guaranteed in the Constitution's 14th Amendment as part of his MAGA agenda. Birthright citizenship guarantees that children born in the United States are citizens, regardless of the immigration status of their parents."
Sen. Jeff MerkleyMerkley: Laken Riley Act Fails to Keep Our Communities Safe, Fix Broken Immigration System
Jan. 20, 2025“Laken Riley should be with us today. Her murder is a tragedy, and the perpetrator should be held fully accountable. The Laken Riley Act, however, has some egregious provisions that will have dramatic consequences beyond its stated goal of locking up undocumented individuals like the man who murdered Laken Riley. Specifically, it requires mandatory imprisonment for undocumented children who have never been charged with or convicted of a crime. This is twisted."
Sen. Jeff MerkleyHirono, Padilla, Merkley Statement on Passage of Laken Riley Act
Jan. 20, 2025Lawmakers: “Our country needs comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform. Rather than fixing our broken immigration system, this legislation will further complicate it.”
Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Alex PadillaKaine, Bennet, Hickenlooper, King, Luján, Merkley, Shaheen, Van Hollen, Warner & Welch Unveil Amendment to Improve Laken Riley Act
Jan. 15, 2025Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Angus I. King (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Peter Welch (D-VT) unveiled an amendment to weaken the Laken Riley Act by limiting its application to those over 16.
Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Angus King, Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Mark Warner, Sen. Peter WelchReps Ramirez, Castro & Senators Blumenthal, Merkley, Hirono, Markey Introduce Bill to Reunite Separated Families & Prevent Future Separation
Dec. 18, 2024"Today, Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Vice Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, along with Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Senators Richard Blumenthal (CT-D), Jeff Merkley (OR-D), Mazie Hirono (HI-D), and Edward Markey (MA-D) introduced the bicameral Family Reunification Task Force Act. The legislation authorizes the Family Reunification Task Force to continue its work to reunite the thousands of families torn apart by Trump’s Zero Tolerance policy that inhumanely separated children from their parents."
Rep. Nanette Barragán, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Rep. Salud Carbajal, Rep. André Carson, Rep. Joaquin Castro, Rep. Yvette Clarke, Rep. Adriano Espaillat, Rep. Robert Garcia, Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Rep. Dan Goldman, Rep. Al Green, Rep. Raúl Grijalva, Rep. Jonathan Jackson, Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. LaMonica McIver, Rep. Rob Menendez, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, Rep. Delia Ramirez, Rep. Shri Thanedar, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Rep. Paul Tonko, Rep. Juan VargasCardin, Van Hollen Lead Senate Call for Humanitarian Protections for Guatemalans Living in the U.S.
Oct. 15, 2024"U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Van Hollen (both D-Md.), along with more than a dozen other senators, wrote to President Joe Biden requesting that his administration “provide temporary humanitarian protections for Guatemalan nationals living in the United States.” The letter asks for the president to designate Temporary Protected Status for Guatemala or authorize Deferred Enforced Departure for Guatemalan nationals."
Sen. Michael Bennet, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Ben Cardin, Sen. Chris Coons, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Sen. Martin Heinrich, Sen. John Hickenlooper, Sen. Mazie Hirono, Sen. Tim Kaine, Sen. Ben Ray Luján, Sen. Ed Markey, Sen. Jeff Merkley, Sen. Chris Murphy, Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Alex Padilla, Sen. Jack Reed, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Mark Warner