Track Jeff's sponsored bills, co-sponsored legislation, and voting record
The Wildfire Insurance Affordability Act establishes grant and voucher programs to help homeowners fund wildfire mitigation improvements and reduce the cost of insurance premiums in high-risk areas.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Wildfire Insurance Affordability Act establishes a federal grant program to help states and local communities fund residential wildfire mitigation and home hardening projects. Additionally, the bill creates a five-year pilot program to provide insurance premium vouchers for low-income households in high-risk areas. These initiatives are supported by tax exemptions for grant recipients to ensure wildfire safety improvements remain affordable for homeowners.
The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2026 expands grant eligibility, modernizes educational resources, and increases funding to strengthen the nursing workforce and address critical staffing shortages.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2026 strengthens the nursing profession by expanding grant eligibility for advanced education and modernizing training resources, including simulation and telehealth technologies. The bill addresses critical workforce shortages by increasing funding for nursing faculty and student programs while broadening support for specialized care, such as services for sexual assault survivors. These updates ensure that nursing education remains robust and responsive to the evolving needs of the healthcare system through 2030.
The Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026 updates the Clean Air Act to expand the definition of "renewable biomass," incentivizing the use of forest management and wildfire risk reduction materials in federal renewable fuel programs.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026 updates the Clean Air Act to broaden the definition of "renewable biomass" eligible for federal renewable fuel programs. By including a wider range of forest residuals and vegetation sourced from wildfire risk reduction and restoration activities, the bill incentivizes the removal of hazardous fuels from both public and private lands. This legislation streamlines the certification process to encourage the use of forest materials in renewable energy production.
The Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026 establishes comprehensive standards to ensure the humane treatment, legal protection, and swift family reunification of noncitizen children in U.S. immigration custody.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026 overhauls the treatment of noncitizen children and families in federal custody by prioritizing family unity, humane living standards, and swift reunification. The legislation mandates legal representation for unaccompanied children, establishes independent oversight to ensure accountability, and strictly limits the use of detention facilities. By creating clear, enforceable protections and privacy safeguards, the bill aims to minimize trauma and ensure that the welfare of the child remains the central focus of the immigration process.
This resolution designates July 2026 as "Plastic Pollution Action Month" to raise awareness and encourage national efforts to reduce plastic waste and protect public health and the environment.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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This resolution designates July 2026 as "Plastic Pollution Action Month" to raise awareness about the severe environmental and health impacts of plastic waste. It highlights the urgent need to address rising pollution levels and encourages individuals and the nation to participate in reduction, cleanup, and recycling efforts.
This Act protects students and federal funds by requiring higher education programs to meet strict professional licensure standards, debt-to-earnings metrics, and state authorization requirements for distance education.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The **Protecting Students from Worthless Degrees Act** ensures that higher education programs receiving federal funding provide genuine value and career readiness. The bill mandates that programs preparing students for licensed occupations must meet specific state qualification requirements and establishes strict debt-to-earnings standards to hold institutions accountable for student outcomes. Additionally, it strengthens oversight for distance education by requiring institutions to maintain proper state authorization for all students they serve.
This bill directs the FAA to review and update safety policies and regulations regarding low-altitude airspace hazards, including the marking of temporary obstructions like slacklines.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The McCarty and Heideman Air Safety Enhancement Act directs the FAA to conduct a comprehensive review of low-altitude airspace safety policies, with a specific focus on mitigating risks posed by temporary obstructions like slacklines. The bill mandates stakeholder consultation and requires the FAA to improve aeronautical data, interagency coordination, and public outreach. Ultimately, it ensures that necessary regulatory updates are implemented to enhance safety for pilots operating in low-altitude environments.
The Epstein Files Transparency Act II strengthens accountability by granting victims, state officials, and members of Congress enhanced legal authority to access unredacted records and enforce compliance regarding the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Epstein Files Transparency Act II strengthens accountability by granting victims, state officials, and Members of Congress enhanced legal authority to access unredacted records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal network. The bill establishes clear enforcement mechanisms, including the right to sue for the unlawful withholding of documents, and imposes criminal penalties for the concealment or falsification of records. By limiting the government's ability to invoke common-law privileges, the legislation aims to ensure greater transparency and expedite the release of investigative materials.
The SAFE Banking Act of 2026 creates a federal safe harbor for financial institutions to provide services to state-sanctioned marijuana and hemp businesses without fear of federal regulatory penalties or liability.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The SAFE Banking Act of 2026 creates a federal safe harbor for depository institutions and insurers that provide financial services to state-sanctioned marijuana and hemp-related businesses. By prohibiting federal regulators from penalizing financial institutions for serving these legal entities, the bill aims to improve industry transparency and public safety. Additionally, the Act establishes protections for mortgage lenders and clarifies requirements for suspicious activity reporting and account termination procedures.
The Investor Choice Act of 2026 prohibits financial firms and issuers from forcing investors into mandatory arbitration, ensuring they retain the right to pursue legal claims in court or through class action lawsuits.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Investor Choice Act of 2026 protects retail investors by prohibiting mandatory arbitration clauses in contracts with brokers, investment advisers, and public companies. This legislation ensures that investors retain the right to choose between arbitration and pursuing legal action in court, including the ability to participate in class action lawsuits. By voiding restrictive mandatory arbitration agreements, the bill aims to restore fair and equitable legal recourse for defrauded investors.
This resolution designates June 22 through June 28, 2026, as "National Pollinator Week" to recognize the vital role pollinators play in U.S. agriculture and ecosystem health.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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This resolution officially recognizes the critical role of pollinators in supporting U.S. agriculture and ecosystem health. It designates June 22 through June 28, 2026, as "National Pollinator Week." The bill highlights the significant economic contributions of pollinators while noting alarming declines in native species populations. It encourages public education and conservation efforts during the designated week.
The Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026 establishes a cooperative framework to integrate Taiwan into the U.S. "Blue UAS" supply chain, fostering secure, PRC-independent drone production and accelerating certification for Taiwanese defense technologies.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026 aims to strengthen Taiwan’s asymmetric defense capabilities by integrating its drone industry into the U.S. "Blue UAS" supply chain. The bill establishes a working group to identify opportunities for co-developing secure, PRC-independent unmanned aircraft systems and creates a fast-track certification process for Taiwanese manufacturers. By fostering these partnerships, the legislation seeks to reduce reliance on Chinese-sourced components and enhance regional security through a collaborative, allied drone supply chain.
This bill mandates Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to establish pilot programs for purchasing loans on manufactured homes classified as personal property, applying existing consumer lending protections.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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This bill, the Manufactured Housing Lending Act, mandates that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each establish a pilot program to purchase loans for manufactured homes classified as personal property. These programs must incorporate existing consumer lending protections and focus on homes in specific community settings. The goal is to facilitate financing for manufactured housing while ensuring prudent risk management and a reasonable, though reduced, return for the enterprises.
This bill amends the Truth in Lending Act to define "home equity investment loan" and applies existing civil liability rules for violations involving these loans.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Home Equity Lending Integrity Act formally defines "home equity investment loan" within federal lending law. It directs the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection to apply existing civil liability rules for Truth in Lending Act violations to these specific types of loans. This legislation codifies current regulatory practice without altering how the Act is administered.
This Act prohibits the knowing distribution of materially false, AI-generated election media intended to mislead voters or intimidate officials, restricts using unverified data for voter roll purges, and limits federal government use of data to determine voter eligibility.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Fraudulent Artificial Intelligence Regulations (FAIR) Elections Act of 2026 prohibits the knowing distribution of false AI-generated media intended to mislead voters or intimidate election officials. It also restricts states from removing voters from rolls using unverified data sources, requiring reliance on approved government information. Furthermore, the Act bans the federal government from using its data to determine individual voter eligibility in federal elections. Finally, it mandates a GAO study on the use of federal databases for voter list maintenance.
This act prohibits state and local governments from enacting regulations that limit access to or expansion of renewable energy services like wind, solar, storage, and geothermal sold in interstate commerce.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Renewable Energy Choice Act aims to promote the expansion of renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal, and energy storage. It achieves this by prohibiting state and local governments from enacting regulations that directly or indirectly restrict access to or installation of renewable energy projects sold in interstate commerce. The bill specifically bans permanent bans and imposes strict limits on moratoriums, height restrictions, setbacks, and sound limits for these projects.
This bill establishes new criteria for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to evaluate natural gas import/export applications based on climate impacts, domestic affordability, and national security risks.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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This bill, the "Protecting Americans from High Electricity Prices Act of 2026," overhauls the criteria the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission uses to approve natural gas import and export applications. It mandates that the Commission must now affirmatively find that such activities are in the public interest, explicitly considering climate impacts, domestic affordability, and national security risks. The legislation specifically prohibits approvals that would increase U.S. natural gas prices or raise greenhouse gas emissions across all scopes (1, 2, and 3).
This bill authorizes the President to declare a smoke emergency due to wildfire smoke, enabling federal assistance for affected communities and relief for small businesses.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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This bill, the Wildfire Smoke Emergency Declaration Act of 2026, authorizes the President to declare a smoke emergency when severe wildfire smoke significantly impacts air quality in a state. Upon declaration, federal agencies like FEMA can provide emergency assistance, including resources for smoke shelters and air monitoring. The Act also allows the Small Business Administration to offer relief grants to small businesses affected by the declared emergency.
This bill repeals executive orders and directives restricting renewable energy development while streamlining permitting and ensuring the continuation of federal financial assistance for clean energy projects.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Restoring Renewable Energy Parity Act aims to remove federal barriers to renewable energy development. It immediately halts the investigation into wind turbine imports and repeals several executive orders and agency directives that restricted wind, solar, and geothermal projects. The bill also streamlines permitting processes and sets strict timelines for federal agencies to act on financial assistance continuation applications.
This Act strengthens protections for U.S. fishers by expanding criteria for identifying nations that tolerate illegal fishing and updating the regulatory definition of IUU fishing.
Jeff Merkley
Senator
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Jeff Merkley
Senator
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The Protecting U.S. Fishers from Illegal Foreign Flags Act of 2026 strengthens measures against illegal fishing by expanding criteria for identifying nations that fail to regulate foreign vessels operating under their flag. This bill mandates updating the regulatory definition of "illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing" to align with existing federal law. Ultimately, it aims to ensure better accountability for flag states regarding illegal fishing activities.