Merkley Leads Senate Budget Democrats in Demanding Hegseth Explain Reasoning for Fully Classifying Spending Plans of $90 Billion in Big, Ugly Betrayal Law, Preventing Congressional Oversight
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, led Senate Budget Committee Democrats in calling on Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to explain the Department of Defense’s (DOD) decision to classify its budget reconciliation spending plan—a decision that undermines congressional oversight and accountability. Following passage of the Republican […]
Letter to Hegseth on DOD Classified Spend Plans
Republicans Again Block Merkley’s Push to Permanently Ban Pocket Rescissions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the Senate considers bipartisan legislation to set funding for a portion of the federal government, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, offered an amendment to codify a permanent ban on pocket rescissions by prohibiting the President from sending Congress a “special message” under the Impoundment […]
CBO Tells Merkley: Trump’s Brazen National Guard Deployment to American Cities Has So Far Cost U.S. Taxpayers Upwards of $589 Million
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) told U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, that President Donald Trump’s brazen decision to deploy National Guard personnel to U.S. cities, including Portland, has cost taxpayers upwards of $589 million to date. If these deployments continue at current levels, […]
CBO Letter to Merkley Cost for Domestic Troop Deployments
Merkley, Durbin, Peters Lead Amicus Brief Urging Circuit Court to Affirm the Critical Protections of Minors in Immigration Detention
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee led a group of 23 Senators in filing an amicus brief to the Ninth […]
Merkley Durbin Peters Flores Settlement Amicus Brief
Merkley Leads Budget Democrats in Demanding OMB Director Vought Provide Answers on Use of His $100 Million Slush Fund
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Seante Budget Committee, led Budget Committee Democrats in calling on Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought to provide answers to Congress and the American people on what he has used or is planning to use the $100 million slush […]
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CBO Tells Merkley: Trump Administration Attempt to Rename the Department of Defense Could Balloon to $125 Million
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) told U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, that the Trump Administration could spend upwards of $125 million in its attempt to rename the Department of Defense (DOD). Similar to Trump’s attempt to rename the Kennedy Center after himself, without […]