WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Before Busy Summer Travel Season, Merkley, Kennedy, Markey, Marshall Push to Rein in TSA Facial Recognition Technology at Airports Across U.S. During National Travel and Tourism Week, Senators lead bipartisan Traveler Privacy Protection Act Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, Louisiana's U.S. Senator John Kennedy, Massachusetts' U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey, and Kansas' U.S. Senato  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Rep. Mark Green, R-Tennessee, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, issued the following news on May 8, 2025: * * * Chairman Green for the Daily Caller: "Why I Rejected The Dems' Taxpayer-Funded Trip To Visit An Alleged Gangbanger" WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Today, House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) published an op-ed for the Daily Caller, explaining why he refused to allow House Homeland Democrats to use taxpayer dollars to visit   more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Rep. Janelle Bynum, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on May 8, 2025: * * * Congresswoman Bynum Blasts House Republicans for Gulf of America Act May 8, 2025 "This bill is a waste of my and the American people's time in an attempt to stroke this President's fragile ego." Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) released the following statement after voting against H.R. 276, the Gulf of America Act, which does nothing to lower costs, create jo  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, issued the following news release: * * * Crapo, Merkley Lead Bipartisan Effort to Expand Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Washington, D.C.-- U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) teamed up to introduce the bipartisan Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) Program Reauthorization Act of 2025. This legislation would reauthorize and expand the CFLR program, which helps fund collaborative and community-ba  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Dexter Announces Winner of 2025 Congressional Art Competition PORTLAND, OR -- Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) announced Evie Chan as the winner of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition for Oregon's Third Congressional District. "I am proud to elevate a piece of art that calls on us to combat the climate crisis with the urgency our children deserve," said Congresswoman Dexter. "Congr  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSFR) -- The Federal Reserve System has announced that Lewis & Clark Bancorp, based in Oregon City, Oregon, has submitted a notice under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956. The company seeks approval to acquire additional interests in iCache, Inc., located in Portland, Oregon, and to continue its engagement in a range of permissible nonbanking activities. These activities include trust company functions, printing and selling MICR-encoded items, and data processing, as out  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, issued the following news release: * * * HYDE-SMITH, MERKLEY LEAD BILL TO ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SHORTAGES Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation Would Create Loan Program to Increase Mental Health, Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today joined U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) to introduce a bill to help increase access to care for mental health and substance use d  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Lofgren, Salinas, Padilla, Bennet Reintroduce Legislation to Provide Disaster Relief for Farmworkers Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren (CA-18) and Rep. Andrea Salinas (OR-06), the daughter of a former farmworker and a leader in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, along with U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO), reintroduced the Disaster Relief for Farm Wor  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Cynthia M. Lummis, R-Wyoming, issued the following news release: * * * Lummis Introduces Bill to Protect Firefighters and Communities from Wildfire Threats WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) today led her colleagues in introducing the Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025, aimed at safeguarding firefighters, communities, and property in Wyoming and across the west from the destructive impacts of wildfires. S  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * McClellan, Bacon, Merkley, Hyde-Smith Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Address Mental Health Treatment Shortages Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and Don Bacon (NE-02) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced legislation to address mental health and substance use disorder facility shortages during a growing mental health crisis.   more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D-Virginia, issued the following news release: * * * McClellan, Bacon, Merkley, Hyde-Smith Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill to Address Mental Health Treatment Shortages Washington, D.C. - Today, Representatives Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) and Don Bacon (NE-02) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) introduced legislation (link is external) to address mental health and substance use disorder facility shortages during a grow  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, issued the following news release: * * * Nunn Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Expand Capital Access for Iowa Businesses WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) today joined Representative Janelle Bynum (OR-05) to introduced the Encouraging Local Emerging Ventures and Economic Growth Act (ELEVATE) Act, bipartisan legislation that would reduce bureaucratic red tape for small and mid-sized businesses seeking to raise capital investment thro  more

WASHINGTON, May 7 -- Sen. Alex Padilla, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Padilla, Bennet, Salinas, Lofgren Introduce Bicameral Legislation to Provide Disaster Relief for Farm Workers WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) introduced the Disaster Relief for Farm Workers Act to provide compensation for farm workers who lose out on wages due to extreme weather, public health emergencies, and other disasters beyond their  more

SALEM, Oregon, May 7 [Category: Education] -- The Oregon School Boards Association posted the following news: * * * Public education advocates oppose federal voucher plan as blank check A Republican plan to fund private school vouchers is being considered as part of federal budget talks going on now. Critics say it has the potential to be an unregulated tax giveaway to the country's wealthiest people and corporations. Voucher programs provide public money to pay for private schooling, usual  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, issued the following floor remarks on May 7, 2025 (In this document, the reference to Mr. Speaker refers to the presiding officer of the House at the time of the speech): * * * Mr. Speaker, my district has more Social Security recipients than 87 percent of the congressional districts nationwide. Back home I heard a clear, urgent message from seniors. They are scared because Social Security and Medicaid are not luxuries. They are lifelines. They  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, issued the following news release: * * * Senator Marshall Joins Senators Kennedy, Merkley, and Markey to Protect Americans' Privacy at Airports Washington - U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined U.S. Senators John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon), and Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts) today to introduce the Traveler Privacy Protection Act, which would safeguard Americans' ability to opt-out of Transportation Securit  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Sens. Rick Scott, Jeff Merkley Introduce Legislation Targeting Global Use of Forced Labor WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Senators Rick Scott and Jeff Merkley introduced the bipartisan No Funds for Forced Labor Act to require the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. executive director at international financial institutions to oppose projects that use forced labor practices, specifically in Communi  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 (TNSFR) --The Surface Transportation Board (STB) has announced the filing of a verified notice of exemption by Portland & Western Railroad, Inc. (PNWR) to acquire and operate a 1.01-mile stretch of rail line located near Banks, Oregon, between milepost 774.0 and milepost 775.01 in Washington County. This exemption, filed under docket number FD 36850, pertains to the acquisition of the rail line from the Port of Tillamook Bay (POTB), as outlined in the purchase agreement betwe  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden Joins Bipartisan Tax-Free Pell Grant Act to Help Make Higher Education More Accessible and Affordable Legislation would simplify access to higher education assistance and increase opportunities for students in Oregon and nationwide. Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today joined Senate colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation that would simplify higher education assistance  more

WASHINGTON, May 9 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following news release on May 8, 2025: * * * Wyden Slams RFK on Purging Public Records Teams at HHS After Publicly Promising "Radical Transparency" There are almost 13,000 backlogged FOIA requests at HHS, and 49 percent of these backlogged requests are impacted by Secretary Kennedy's mass firing Washington, D.C. - Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., today slammed D  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Crapo Introduce Legislation to Modernize Short Line and Regional Railroad Tax Credit Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said today he has reintroduced legislation with U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, to expand the Short Line Railroad Tax Credit that provides operators with essential resources to ensure communities and small businesses can rely on safe infrastructure. The bipartisan  more

WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, issued the following news release: * * * Wyden, Duckworth, Murray and Booker Lead Colleagues in Demanding Answers About Firings of Congressionally-Mandated CDC IVF Team "The Trump administration is now moving beyond broken promises to purposely dismantling the very system that provides hopeful families with accountability and transparency regarding fertility clinic success rates." Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Tammy Duckw  more