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Official portrait of Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

United States · Official source

Records

5,761 records where Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] is listed as a sponsor, author, or other actor. Search with topics and years

Bill· SS. 939 (119th)referred

Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 11 March 2025

Medicare Dental, Hearing, and Vision Expansion Act of 2025 This bill provides for coverage of dental, hearing, and vision care under Medicare. Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of dental and oral health services, including cleanings, treatments, and dentures; hearing aids and related services, including aural rehabilitation services; and  vision services, including routine eye exams and eyeglasses. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must set a fee schedule for dental and oral health services based on the national median fees for similar services, and it must phase in adjustments to premiums for Medicare medical services to account for coverage of dental and oral health services over a three-year period beginning in 2028. Payment to providers of hearing aid services must be made on an assignment-related basis; payment to providers of vision services must be made under the physician fee schedule. The bill provides funds for FY2025 for the CMS to implement the bill's changes.

Bill· SS. 880 (119th)open

Fair College Admissions for Students Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025

Fair College Admissions for Students Act This bill prohibits an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs from giving preferential treatment in the admissions process to applicants based on their relationships to donors or alumni of the IHE.

Bill· SS. 889 (119th)referred

Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025

Extreme Risk Protection Order Expansion Act of 2025 This bill establishes grants to support the implementation of extreme risk protection order laws at the state and local levels, extends federal firearms restrictions to individuals who are subject to extreme risk protection orders, and expands related data collection. Extreme risk protection order laws, or red flag laws, generally allow certain individuals (e.g., law enforcement officers or family members) to petition a court for a temporary order that prohibits an at-risk individual from purchasing and possessing firearms. Among its provisions, the bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a grant program to help states, local governments, Indian tribes, and other entities implement extreme risk protection order laws; extends federal restrictions on the receipt, possession, shipment, and transportation of firearms and ammunition to individuals who are subject to extreme risk protection orders; and requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to compile records from federal, tribal, and state courts and other agencies that identify individuals who are subject to extreme risk protection orders.

Bill· SS. 894 (119th)referred

Do No Harm Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 March 2025

Bill· SS. 867 (119th)referred

Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025

Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act of 2025 This bill prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from taking action against or imposing certain conditions on individuals on the basis of viewpoints broadcast or disseminated by the individuals or their affiliates.  Specifically, the FCC may not revoke a license or authorization of, or otherwise take action against, an individual or entity on the basis of viewpoints broadcast or otherwise disseminated by the individual or entity or an affiliate thereof. Further, the FCC may not impose conditions on its approval of certain transactions on the basis of viewpoints broadcast or otherwise disseminated by the individual or entity seeking approval of the transaction, or an affiliate thereof.  Under the bill, the FCC retains its authority to take action or impose conditions on the basis of (1) violations of certain existing laws regarding lottery information, fraud, and obscene language; or (2) the broadcast or other dissemination of content that constitutes incitement under the First Amendment. 

Bill· SS. 864 (119th)open

HELP Copays Act

United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2025

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 105 (119th)referred

A resolution condemning the mass terminations of employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs carried out with no justification or analysis of the impact on veterans and their families.

United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2025

This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that the mass terminations of employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs should be condemned. The resolution also expresses that all affected employees should be reinstated.

Bill· SS. 840 (119th)referred

Digital Integrity in Democracy Act

United States · United States Congress · 4 March 2025

Digital Integrity in Democracy Act This bill requires large social media platforms to promptly remove from their sites false information about election logistics and voter eligibility. Specifically, platforms notified of potential false election information must investigate the veracity of the flagged information and, if it is false, remove it. Covered information includes false information about the time and place of, or voter eligibility for, an election. Platforms must generally remove false information within 48 hours of receipt of notification of its existence. If notification is received on the day of an election, including during an early or absentee voting period, the information must be removed within 24 hours.  The Department of Justice may bring a civil suit against a social media platform that violates the timely removal requirement. States may bring suit against a platform if the false information at issue related to an election in the state, and candidates may bring suit against a platform if the candidate was aggrieved by the false information. Such suits may seek money damages and injunctive relief.  The bill also specifies that Section 230 protection does not apply to false election information that is knowingly hosted on a social media platform. (Section 230 generally precludes providers and users of an interactive computer service (e.g., a social media platform) from being held legally responsible under federal law for content provided by a third party.) However, platforms that comply with the timely removal requirements with respect to false election information retain Section 230 protection. 

Bill· SS. 770 (119th)referred

Social Security Expansion Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Social Security Expansion Act This bill increases Social Security benefits, expands Social Security payroll taxes, and makes other changes to the Social Security program. Specifically, the bill changes the way Social Security benefits are calculated by increasing the primary insurance amount applicable to average monthly earnings that fall below a specified amount, and increasing bend points for individuals who become eligible for Social Security after 2025. (Bend points are dollar amounts at which earnings are segmented for the purpose of calculating an individual’s primary insurance amount. The share of an individual’s earnings that are replaced by Social Security decreases at each escalating bend point.) The bill also revises the method of calculating cost-of-living adjustments to account for the spending of individuals over the age of 62 and establishes a new minimum benefit for certain low earners. Further, the bill permits full-time students who are the children of deceased or disabled workers to collect Social Security or railroad retirement child’s benefits until they reach age 22. With respect to taxes, the bill extends payroll taxes on wages, salaries, and self-employment earnings to income above $250,000. (In 2025, the maximum amount subject to Social Security payroll tax is $176,100.) The bill also increases the net investment income tax and subjects active trade or business income to this tax. Finally, the bill combines the existing Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund into a single Social Security Trust Fund.

Bill· SS. 775 (119th)referred

SAFE Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Save America's Forgotten Equines Act of 2025 or the SAFE Act of 2025 This bill permanently prohibits the slaughter of equines (e.g., horses and mules) for human consumption. (Current law prohibits the slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. This bill extends the prohibition to equines.)  Specifically, this bill prohibits a person from knowingly (1) slaughtering an equine for human consumption; or (2) shipping, transporting, possessing, purchasing, selling, or donating an equine to be slaughtered for human consumption or equine parts for human consumption. The bill subjects a violator to a fine. The bill applies to conduct in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. However, it does not apply to an activity carried out by an Indian for a religious ceremony. As background, in recent years, the appropriations acts have prohibited the Department of Agriculture (USDA) from using federal funds to inspect horses before they are slaughtered for human consumption. Therefore, there are currently no USDA-inspected horse slaughter facilities in the United States.

Bill· SS. 780 (119th)referred

SAFE Lending Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic Lending Act of 2025 or the SAFE Lending Act of 2025 This bill creates additional consumer protections applicable to certain credit and banking transactions, including matters concerning remotely created checks, electronic fund transfers, registration of small-dollar lenders, overdraft fees, and the collection of personal information. Under the bill, remotely created checks may only be issued by a person specifically designated in writing by a consumer. The consumer must provide the designation to the consumer's depository institution. (A remotely created check is a check not issued by the bank and not signed by the account owner.) A voluntary agreement to repay a small-dollar consumer credit transaction by an electronic fund transfer is subject to certain protections, including the right of the consumer to stop payment. Small-dollar consumer credit providers must register with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Any small-dollar consumer credit transaction is subject to the laws of the state in which the consumer resides. The bill also prohibits overdraft fees on prepaid accounts.

Bill· SS. 803 (119th)referred

Keep Americans Safe Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2025

Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 98 (119th)open

A resolution condemning Beijing's destruction of Hong Kong's democracy and rule of law.

United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025

This resolution condemns China's Hong Kong national security law (officially called The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), the Hong Kong government's Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and related human rights abuses. The resolution also (1) supports the people of Hong Kong as they fight to exercise fundamental rights and freedoms; and (2) calls upon the Hong Kong government to drop all sedition and national security law-related charges and free all defendants immediately, including Jimmy Lai.

Bill· SS. 752 (119th)referred

Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act

United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025

Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act This bill requires states to establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may temporarily treat children under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) without undergoing additional screening requirements.  Specifically, states must establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may enroll for five years as participating providers to treat individuals under the age of 21 without undergoing additional screening requirements. A qualifying out-of-state provider (1) must not have been excluded or terminated from participating in a federal health care program or state Medicaid program; and (2) must have been successfully enrolled in Medicare or a state Medicaid program based on a determination that the provider posed a limited risk of fraud, waste, or abuse. The bill’s changes take effect three years after enactment.

Bill· SS. 761 (119th)open

Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025

Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act of 2025 This bill establishes the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States within the legislative branch and sets forth its powers, duties, and membership. Among other duties, the commission must investigate the impacts and ongoing effects of the Indian Boarding School Policies (federal policies under which American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children were forcibly removed from their family homes and placed in boarding schools). Further, the commission must develop recommendations on ways to (1) protect unmarked graves and accompanying land protections; (2) support repatriation and identify the tribal nations from which children were taken; and (3) discontinue the removal of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children from their families and tribal communities by state social service departments, foster care agencies, and adoption agencies.

Bill· SS. 760 (119th)referred

Kids’ Access to Primary Care Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 26 February 2025

Kids' Access to Primary Care Act of 2025 This bill modifies payments for Medicaid primary care services. Specifically, the bill applies a Medicare payment rate floor to Medicaid primary care services that are provided after the date of enactment of the bill and extends the payment rate to additional types of practitioners (e.g., obstetricians). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must conduct a study on the number of children enrolled in Medicaid, the number of providers receiving payment for primary care services, and associated payment rates before and after the bill's implementation.

Bill· SS. 726 (119th)referred

Ethan's Law

United States · United States Congress · 25 February 2025

Ethan's Law This bill establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels. At the federal level, the bill establishes statutory requirements for firearms on residential premises to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm. An individual who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties. A firearm stored in violation of the requirements is subject to seizure and forfeiture. At the state and tribal levels, the bill requires the Department of Justice to award grants to implement functionally identical requirements for the safe storage of firearms.

Resolution· SRESS.Res. 89 (119th)passed

A resolution expressing support for the designation of February 15 through February 22, 2025, as "National FFA Week", recognizing the important role of the National FFA Organization in developing the next generation of leaders who will change the world, and celebrating the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America and the 75th anniversary of the Future Farmers of America Federal charter.

United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2025

This resolution supports the designation of February 15-22, 2025, as National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Week. It also celebrates the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America (NFA), which served Black vocational agriculture students in segregated public schools until NFA and FFA became one organization in 1965. The resolution also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the federal charter for the Future Farmers of America.

Bill· SS. 643 (119th)referred

A bill to amend the Grand Ronde Reservation Act to address the hunting, fishing, trapping, and animal gathering rights of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 20 February 2025

This bill provides a process by which the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and Oregon may negotiate to amend or replace the existing agreement defining the tribe's hunting, fishing, trapping, and animal gathering rights. The current agreement, which was made effective by a January 12, 1987, consent decree by the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, serves as the exclusive and final determination of the tribe's hunting, fishing, trapping, and gathering rights. This bill instead allows a December 2, 1986, agreement between the United States, Oregon, and the tribe (known as the Grand Ronde Hunting and Fishing Agreement) to define the tribe's rights until and unless it is amended or replaced upon mutual agreement of the tribe and Oregon. The bill allows the tribe and Oregon to return to the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon to request the modification or termination of the January 12, 1987, consent decree. The bill prohibits a new or amended agreement from (1) affecting the other rights of the tribe or any other Indian tribe, (2) limiting Oregon from entering into separate agreements with other tribes to address the authority to take species within the geographic scope of the agreement, or (3) being used in a civil or criminal action to modify any treaty or other right of a tribe.

Bill· SS. 649 (119th)reported

Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 20 February 2025

Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2025 This bill expands eligibility for Post-9/11 educational assistance for members of the reserve components of the Armed Forces and members of the National Guard. Specifically, the bill expands the types of activities that count towards Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility to include active duty, inactive-duty training, annual training duty, and full-time National Guard duty or active duty. (Generally, under current law, only federal active duty counts towards educational assistance eligibility.)

Bill· SS. 646 (119th)referred

Born in the USA Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 February 2025

Bill· SS. 641 (119th)referred

Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2025

United States · United States Congress · 19 February 2025

Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2025 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to allow for the personal importation of prescription drugs from Canada in certain instances. Such a drug must (1) be purchased from an approved Canadian pharmacy and dispensed by a pharmacist licensed in Canada; (2) be purchased by an individual for personal use only and in quantities not to exceed a 90-day supply; (3) be filled using a valid prescription from a physician licensed in a U.S. state; and (4) have the same active ingredients, route of administration, dosage form, and strength as an FDA-approved drug. Certain types of drugs may not be imported under this program, such as controlled substances, biological products, or intravenously injected drugs. An approved pharmacy under this program must be located and licensed in Canada and meet additional requirements, such as participation in ongoing and comprehensive quality assurance programs. The FDA must publish a list of approved Canadian pharmacies on its website.

Bill· SS. 624 (119th)referred

Equal COLA Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 February 2025

Bill· SS. 567 (119th)open

First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025

First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment, collectively, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War.

Bill· SS. 575 (119th)referred

I CAN Act

United States · United States Congress · 13 February 2025

Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act or the I CAN Act This bill allows other health care providers besides physicians (e.g., nurses) to provide certain services under Medicare and Medicaid. Among other changes, the bill (1) allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for Medicare coverage of special shoes for diabetic individuals; (2) expedites the ability of physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists to supervise Medicare cardiac, intensive cardiac, and pulmonary rehabilitation programs; and (3) allows nurse practitioners to certify the need for inpatient hospital services under Medicare and Medicaid.