U.S. Senator from Oregon
Jeff Merkley
Democrat · Oregon
Former Oregon House Speaker, serving in Senate since 2009. Focus on climate change, housing affordability, democracy reform, and progressive economic issues.
Record
Strong progressive. Consistent advocate for filibuster reform and Senate rules changes. Champion of climate legislation and affordable housing. Focus on democracy reforms including voting rights and campaign finance.
Legislative Record
Recently sponsored bills (8 on record)
- S.5184 — A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish a summer meal delivery vehicle pilot program, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.5106 — A bill to establish a grant program to promote wildfire resilience investments and a pilot program to reduce the cost burden of insurance premiums, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 23, 2026)
- S.5071 — Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 22, 2026)
- S.5087 — Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 22, 2026)
- S.5021 — Protecting Students from Worthless Degrees Act (Introduced, Jul 16, 2026)
- S.5005 — Epstein Files Transparency Act II (Introduced, Jul 15, 2026)
- S.4990 — McCarty and Heideman Air Safety Enhancement Act (Introduced, Jul 15, 2026)
- S.4942 — SAFE Banking Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jun 24, 2026)
Notable votes
- Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — S. Res. 817 (Resolution Agreed to, Jul 30, 2026)
- Voted Nay on S.Res. 817 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. Res. 817 (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jul 29, 2026)
- Voted Yea on H.R. 6644 — Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 6644 with an Amendment (SA 5823) (Cloture Motion Agreed to, Jun 18, 2026)
- Voted Nay on S. 2 — S. 2, As Amended (Bill Passed, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Cortez Masto Amdt. No. 5463 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Padilla Amdt. No. 5808 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Gallego Amdt. No. 5813 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
- Voted Yea on S. 2 — Peters Amdt. No. 5763 (Amendment Rejected, Jun 5, 2026)
Recently cosponsored bills (12 on record)
- S.5190 — A bill to prohibit forced arbitration in work disputes, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.5206 — A bill to repeal the joint resolution entitled "A joint resolution to promote peace and stability in the Middle East". (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.5183 — A bill to establish the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.5182 — A bill to establish a Federal working group for recycled plastic content traceability, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.5185 — A bill to provide for auditing of the Pentagon. (Introduced, Jul 30, 2026)
- S.4946 — Health and Location Data Protection Act of 2026 (Introduced, Jul 29, 2026)
- S.J.Res.181 — A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress. (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
- S.5145 — A bill to clarify the use of certain existing grants under the Clean Air Act to purchase air sensors, and for other purposes. (Introduced, Jul 28, 2026)
Voting analysis
Jeff Merkley is ranking member on the Senate budget committee, which makes his pattern of defection notable: a substantial share of his departures are votes against spending measures his own caucus was helping to move.
Voting no from the left, yes on rejected amendments
He opposed cloture on a motion to concur in a House amendment, opposed a bill at passage, and then supported a series of amendments to that same bill which the chamber turned down — including proposals from senators of both parties. The shape is consistent: reject the negotiated package, back the changes that would have altered it.
| Roll call | Date | Outcome | Their vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| S. 1071 Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1071 On the Cloture Motion S. 1071 · roll call 119 | Dec 15, 2025 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Nay (party: Yea) |
| S. 2296 S. 2296, as amended On Passage of the Bill S. 2296 · roll call 119 | Oct 9, 2025 | Bill Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
| S. 2296 Sanders Amdt. No. 3853 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3853 to S.Amdt. 3748 to S. 2296 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Oct 9, 2025 | Amendment Rejected | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 2296 Scott (FL) Amdt. No. 3535 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3535 to S.Amdt. 3748 to S. 2296 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Oct 9, 2025 | Amendment Rejected | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 2296 Paul Amdt. No. 3761 On the Amendment S.Amdt. 3761 to S.Amdt. 3748 to S. 2296 (No short title on file) · roll call 119 | Oct 9, 2025 | Amendment Rejected | Yea (party: Nay) |
| S. 331 S. 331, as amended On Passage of the Bill S. 331 · roll call 119 | Mar 14, 2025 | Bill Passed | Nay (party: Yea) |
| S. 331 Motion to Invoke Cloture: S. 331 On the Cloture Motion S. 331 · roll call 119 | Mar 13, 2025 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.R. 5009 Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5009 On the Cloture Motion H.R. 5009 · roll call 118 | Dec 16, 2024 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.R. 3935 Motion to Invoke Cloture: Cantwell Amdt No. 1911 as Modified to H.R. 3935 On the Cloture Motion H.R. 3935 · roll call 118 | May 9, 2024 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Nay (party: Yea) |
| H.R. 815 Motion to Invoke Cloture: Motion to Concur in the House Amdt to the Senate Amdt to H.R. 815 On the Cloture Motion H.R. 815 · roll call 118 | Apr 23, 2024 | Cloture Motion Agreed to | Nay (party: Yea) |
Both Oregon seats
Oregon's two senators are both Democrats. Merkley departs from the caucus position at the higher rate of the two.
Among the 2 Democrats in the Oregon delegation, the average rate of voting against the party majority is 8.3%. Jeff Merkley is above that average at 9.2%.
Committee roles and filings
Besides the budget role he is ranking member on the interior and environment appropriations subcommittee. His bills are practical rather than programmatic: a summer meal delivery vehicle pilot under the school lunch statute, a grant programme for wildfire resilience paired with a pilot to reduce insurance premium costs, and the Children's Safe Welcome Act. He cosponsors at very high volume.
Sponsored bills carry the Congressional Research Service's own subject classification. Jeff Merkley's cluster into: Education (1), Finance and Financial Sector (1), Transportation and Public Works (1).
Of the 8 most recent of those, 8 currently sit at Introduced.
Tenure and attendance
He has served since the end of the two-thousands, placing him among the veterans, under one party label throughout. He misses very few votes.
First elected in 2009, now serving across 9 terms. Jeff Merkley falls in the veteran cohort.
By the numbers
In the 119th Congress, Jeff Merkley has 1259 bills sponsored, 4997 cosponsored, 8 recent floor votes recorded.
Committee assignments
- Joint Committee on Printing
- Senate Committee on Appropriations
- Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
- Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
- Senate Committee on Rules and Administration
- Senate Committee on the Budget (Ranking Member)
- Senate Committee on Appropriations: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Senate Committee on Appropriations: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Senate Committee on Appropriations: Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)
- Senate Committee on Appropriations: Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies
- Senate Committee on Appropriations: Energy and Water Development
- Senate Committee on Appropriations: State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Rate Jeff Merkley on iRate — cast your emoji verdict and see how America rates U.S. Senator from Oregon.