Jeff is committed to helping Oregonians get help they need with federal agencies—no matter where they are located in the world.

That is why when Diana Woods, an Oregonian who is currently living in France, reached out about her issues with the Social Security Administration, Team Merkley was eager to help. After working for 31 years in public service with state government, Diana had applied for Social Security benefits at the end of 2020. By April 2021, she still had not heard from the federal agency. Jeff’s office persistently contacted the Social Security Administration about Diana’s case over the next month, leading them to finally process her application.

“Thank you so much for this very good news!” Diana wrote to Jeff’s office. “I’m certain this is solely due to your assistance. I’m so grateful to you, Senator Merkley and your whole team for all the good work you folks do for every day Americans like me. We are very lucky to have you.”

By the end of May 2021, Diana received thousands of dollars of benefits she had been owed since January 2021, and has been receiving regular payments since—benefits she had earned after decades in the workforce.

Successfully helping out Oregonians like Diana motivates Jeff and his team to continue aiding constituents, no matter where they are in the country or on the globe.

Jeff knows that America’s health care system is complex and often outrageously expensive. In addition to working on legislation that would help lower costs and create a simple, seamless health care system, his team is also constantly working to help resolve his constituent’s health care issues, especially battles with insurance companies.

So when Jenifer contacted Jeff’s office about an expensive hospital bill that her insurance wouldn’t cover, his team got to work. Last winter, Jenifer’s daughter had a medical emergency and had to be rushed to an emergency room. Jenifer asked if the ambulance could take her daughter to an in-network hospital—but at the time, the region was blanketed with ice because of an unprecedented ice storm, so the EMTs were required to instead take her to the nearest hospital they could. The hospital was out of her daughter’s insurance network, and so Jenifer was saddled with the entire hospital bill—a whopping $9,500.

With insurance coverage, the hospital bill would be around $1,000—still very expensive, but a vast improvement. “I'm a single mom, so this difference in cost would help me immensely,” Jenifer wrote to Jeff’s office.

Jeff’s team relentlessly chased down the right people at Jenifer’s insurance carrier. For two months, the team tried every possible avenue, even contacting the Senior Vice President of the health insurance company.

Team Merkley’s hard work paid off and they were able to get Jenifer’s appeal reviewed by the insurance company. As a result, Jenifer’s bill dropped from $9,500 to $1,200.

“Thank you for helping with my appeal with my daughter’s insurance company,” Jenifer said. “I truly appreciate the work that you did on my behalf.”

Jeff knows that health care is a right, not a privilege. Helping out people like Jenifer motivates Jeff and his team to continue working to reform the health care system, so that quality, affordable coverage and care is available for all Americans.

Jeff believes that all Oregonians should have access to the benefits of the United States Postal Service, which plays a crucial role in keeping friends and family connected, helping Oregonians cast their mail-in ballots, and keeping important items like medicine and federal benefits within reach. Those services have only become more important during the coronavirus crisis.

After nine frustrating years without access to the USPS in their town of Cascadia, Errol and Bobby Shervey and their neighbors reached out to Jeff for help. Errol, a Vietnam veteran, explained that he had to drive to Foster each day, a neighboring town about 10 miles away, just to pick up his mail and medicine—even during snow and ice storms and the height of coronavirus pandemic.

Jeff was eager to help restore postal service and deliveries to several families in Cascadia, including the Sherveys. He and his team are continuing to work with USPS and the U.S. Forest Service to install new mailboxes for additional families at the Cascadia Day Use Area. That ongoing work includes coordinating with the Sweet Home Ranger District on the Willamette National Forest to allow installation of a cement pad to accommodate the mail boxes. The end goal is for Errol and Bobby, along with other Cascadia residents, to be able to send and receive letters and packages without worrying about a long drive or inclement weather.

“We are all most grateful to your help and support and to Senator Merkley’s leadership in resolving this long-standing issue with the post office,” one resident wrote to Jeff’s team. “When the pandemic ends, whenever Senator Merkley visits Oregon, it is hoped that he will be able to take time from his busy schedule to stop by Cascadia so that Errol and the Cascadia families will be able to say thank you to the Senator in person. He will indeed receive a lot of elbow bumps if not hugs and handshakes.”

As Jeff travels around the state and meets with local leaders, one topic that consistently arises—no matter the size or political leaning of the city or county—is water infrastructure: It’s incredibly expensive to upgrade, but is also an essential capital project to ensure Oregonians have access to clean, quality drinking water.

That is why Jeff was determined to help Amity secure $2 million in federal ARPA funds to improve its water infrastructure. These funds will allow Amity to conduct significant improvements to its water infrastructure, including replacing and refurbishing water meters and major water lines across the city.

“It absolutely would not have been possible, at this time, without federal funds coming to our city,” Amity’s Mayor, Rachel King wrote to Jeff’s team. “We are very grateful.” 

These funds also allow future projects to be done without passing on the cost to Amity’s residents through rate increase—another top priority for Jeff, as growing income inequality continues to make it difficult for working families to make ends meet.

“Our future projects using the ARPA Oregon Legislature funds will be another huge accomplishment made possible through this Act, with significant benefits to our overall infrastructure and our citizens,” Mayor King said. “Amity appreciates the Senator’s work and representation.”

Jeff knows that investing in water infrastructure creates jobs while sustaining the health of the community, and that modern and efficient water infrastructure is essential for a safe and prosperous future, and he has continued to fight for substantial water infrastructure investments in Senate appropriations and infrastructure bills.

Jeff has long worked to support the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which provides federal student loan forgiveness to borrowers who work in public service. From military service members and first responders, to teachers and public health workers, these public servants dedicate their lives to bettering their communities and their country—often for lower pay than they could receive for work in the private sector. PSLF provides an important incentive that allows highly qualified individuals to pursue careers in public service without the risk of being burdened by a lifetime of student debt.

So when Shelley reached out to Jeff’s office for help with her loan forgiveness, his team was eager to help. After working for a decade in the transit industry, Shelley had successfully made 124 payments on her student loans—more than the PSLF qualification of 10 years of service and 120 payments. Yet, in the midst of economic uncertainty for transit workers due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education had not acknowledged Shelley’s application for loan forgiveness.

“I have contacted an ombudsman and not heard back. I call FedLoan once a week and no help. I have put in a complaint with Student Aid and not heard back,” Shelley wrote to Jeff’s team. “Please help with this messed up Federal process.”

Jeff’s office reached out to the agency, which claimed that Shelley did not qualify for PSLF, even though she did. Over the next two months, Jeff’s office worked with the Department of Education to reconsider that determination and successfully get Shelley’s application approved. Finally, Shelley had over $123,000 of student loans forgiven.

“Thank you for looking into it; I believe it definitely pushed it forward quickly. Without you I could still be waiting for forgiveness,” Shelley wrote to Jeff’s team. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!!”

Jeff knows that small businesses are the lifeblood of the Oregon economy, providing sustenance and stability to our communities. He also knows that small businesses—especially live venues, whose businesses revolve around large crowds—were hit the hardest during the pandemic, devastated by the economic impacts of coronavirus.

That’s why Jeff’s team fought for the survival of Oregon small businesses since the very start of the coronavirus pandemic—from creating a website to centralize information, and to connecting individual business owners with resources. When venue owners reached out to Jeff’s team, highlighting their unique needs as businesses, Team Merkley got to work. Using the input he received, Jeff successfully helped to establish the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) Program in the American Rescue Plan, allocating $1.5 billion to help struggling live entertainment venues.

And when those same venue owners let Jeff know that six months after the program was passed they had yet to see a dime of relief, Jeff mobilized his colleagues to pressure the Small Business Administration to get the grant money out the door—and fast. Now, live venues all across Oregon are starting to receive their aid, and they’re telling Jeff that it is making the difference between survival and shuttering their doors forever.

Prestige Theatres, a cinema with locations in Polk and Clackamas counties, wrote to Team Merkley that “this money will provide a bridge to our three theatres as we continue to recover after being shuttered for 15 months, and will support all small and thriving communities that we serve. We could not have survived without the SVOG program, and we are so happy for the opportunity to continue our mission of providing local, affordable family entertainment to small communities.”

After receiving their grant, City Lights Cinema on the coast wrote to Jeff’s team, “It has been a rocky road, but the funds are monumentally helpful in righting the ship and keeping the arts alive in Florence.”

After receiving a grant for Volcanic Theatre Pub in Bend, the owner wrote to the team: “I did cry...and still am. Thank you all for the support and the fight you put up for all of us. I can sit here today for the first time in a year and cry peacefully and breathe deeply knowing that we're going to be okay. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! My family, friends, and community are so grateful to be Oregonians.”

Oregon Cabaret Theatre, a theatre at the heart of the Ashland community, wrote, “Wanted to write to let you know that we received our notification of award today—thank you for your work on this on our behalf.”

The success of the SVOG program in every corner of Oregon is a testament to the importance of informing policy with people. Jeff and his team know that supporting small businesses doesn’t end with the pandemic— because when small businesses thrive, communities thrive.

Jeff is committed to helping Oregonians get the federal help they need, and understands the challenges of navigating bureaucratic red tape.

That’s why Jeff’s team was eager to help Michael, a constituent who reached out for help after facing issues receiving his Social Security benefits and had his Medicare coverage canceled—all while he was struggling with unaffordable monthly COBRA health insurance premiums.

Team Merkley took action to work with the Social Security Administration on getting his Social Security benefits back in order. After persistent work with the agency, the team got Michael’s Medicare coverage set to start on July 1. Additionally, Team Merkley connected with Michael’s union about obstacles with insurance coverage, which helped him secure a hardship grant to cover COBRA costs.

“It does so much for my belief in humanity to know that people with your kindness and desire to help others still exist in the world!” Michael wrote to Jeff’s office. “Thank you for everything you have done. You helped relieve so much stress!”

Helping Oregonians like Michael motivates Jeff and his team to continue fighting for Oregonians to ensure they get the help they need to thrive.

Throughout the pandemic, Jeff has spoken with workers, business owners, and families about how the coronavirus crisis has made so many existing economic hardships even more difficult to weather—and has remained fully committed to doing everything possible to help Oregonians get the federal relief they need to stay afloat.

That’s why Jeff’s team was eager to help when Timothy Vollmer, a 75-year-old veteran from Eugene, reached out for assistance after he didn’t receive his second or third stimulus checks.

Timothy initially contacted the IRS for assistance, but waited for months with no response before deciding to reach out to Jeff. Team Merkley worked with the IRS and discovered that Timothy’s stimulus direct deposit payments were cancelled and the checks weren’t delivered. At Team Merkley’s urging, the IRS responded quickly to address the errors, and within a few weeks, Timothy’s checks were in his bank account.

“It was a great relief and I am most grateful,” Timothy wrote to Jeff’s office.

Jeff knows our nation owes veterans a great debt—and has a long way to go to support veterans in the way they deserve. Making sure that they received their stimulus funds was just one small way that Jeff’s team could help. As Jeff says, our veterans stood up for us, and now we need to stand up to them.

Jeff believes that good-paying, reliable jobs should be in reach for every Oregonian, and that our communities deserve to receive the resources they need to rebuild after a devastating wildfire. That is why Jeff’s team pushed to overcome obstacles and get full grant funding to get Oregon’s workers and their communities back on their feet following last year’s wildfires.

Last year’s wildfires devastated homes, shuttered businesses, burned millions of acres, and left many Oregonians without work. After the state of Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission applied for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wildfire Disaster Recovery Dislocated Worker Grant, they had not heard back from the federal agency—even as Oregonians urgently needed help. Team Merkley pushed the federal bureaucracy to respond to the state agency.

And with Team Merkley’s help, Oregon secured the full $19.5 million to help communities across the state put dislocated workers back to work to rebuild after the devastating impact of wildfires.

Upon hearing the news of Oregon’s grant approval, Lane County Workforce Board Director Kristina Payne wrote to the senator’s field representative: “Thank you!!! And I’m totally giving you and the rest of the Senator’s team credit for getting Oregon the entire amount we requested in National Emergency fire relief funds! Senator Merkley is making a huge difference for Oregonians!”

This funding will help workforce boards in wildfire-affected areas across the state put Oregonians back to work rebuilding these communities, including jobs to aid watershed recovery and other wildfire recovery work efforts.

Jeff knows that there is nothing more American than moving to seek a better life for oneself and one’s family. He believes that no matter who we are or where we come from, we all want to live and work in vibrant, caring communities.

So Jeff’s team was eager to help Galina Babitskaya and her family when they reached out with an urgent ask for help: to fulfill Galina’s dying wish of becoming a U.S. citizen. The Lake Oswego resident, born in Russia, is being treated for serious cancer, and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for seven months failed to respond to her citizenship application. When Jeff’s team heard about this delay, they jumped into action, and helped field her application through a number of obstacles to expedite the process. Two months after contacting Jeff, she was sworn in as a U.S. citizen.

“We left with the certificate of citizenship in our hands!” Galina’s daughter wrote to Jeff’s team. “My mom is very happy! You made her dream come true.”

Jeff celebrates the fact that we are a nation of immigrants, and knows that our communities are made richer by Oregonians who come from all over the world. On behalf of all Oregonians, Jeff congratulates Galina on becoming a naturalized citizen, and wishes her and her family comfort through this extremely challenging time.

Jeff recognizes the important role workforce training programs play in communities and those they serve. That’s why it’s a priority for Jeff and his team to support these organizations as they navigate red tape from federal agencies, and to protect their workers from devastating closures.

After a Department of Labor proposal under the Trump administration threatened to eliminate staff housing at the Tongue Point Jobs Corps Center (TPJCC), Jeff and his team took action—saving all 15 families who use staff housing from being evicted. Jeff mobilized the Oregon delegation to push the Department of Labor to not only stop these families from being evicted, but also to amend operations plans to ensure that housing on the TPJCC site would be maintained. With the help of Jeff’s team, TPJCC workers and families who live on-site, such as Katrina Gasser (pictured), are no longer facing eviction, and can focus on the important work they provide for the community.

The Tongue Point Job Corps Center is an asset to Astoria and to Clatsop County—empowering low-income students through its workforce training programs. Clatsop County already faces a shortage of affordable housing, and, like the rest of the state and nation, has been hurt economically by the coronavirus pandemic. This is just one step in ensuring TPJCC students and workers receive the support they need to thrive, and Jeff and his team are continuing to work with the Department of Labor to make sure the concerns and needs of Tongue Point Job Corps Center are met. 

Jeff understands that Klamath Basin water issues are complex, and require a comprehensive, all-hands-on-deck approach. That’s why he has worked with the Klamath community to help work toward short- and long-term solutions to water resource challenges.

Klamath Basin restoration projects have now begun after Jeff secured $11.6 million in federal funding to support efforts from Klamath Tribes, farmers and ranchers, who are seeking solutions for the region’s water quality issues. Of that funding, nearly $2.4 million will be used to support four wetland habitat projects, which will result in 12,000 acres of mixed wetland habitat for endangered juvenile suckers and Pacific Flyway water birds, while also aiding in the significant reduction of external loading of phosphorus into the lake.

These funds are a part of Jeff’s continued effort toward a long-term solution for water resource challenges in the region. Since joining the Senate Appropriations Committee in 2014, Jeff has secured over $33 million for Klamath Basin water projects. Jeff is also committed to supporting collaborative, community-generated solutions to this complex issue. To that end, in 2019, Jeff held a Sucker Recovery Summit to discuss solutions with stakeholders and experts, resulting in additional water quality projects that he has worked to fund.

This project funding is essential, as drought conditions in the Klamath Basin become increasingly common. Additionally, the need to restore the water habitat is crucial to the survival of migratory birds and endangered suckers—which are essential Klamath tribal treaty resources—and for farmers and ranchers whose irrigation supply is affected by the need for in-stream water for the fish. Funding these water restoration projects is just one step toward a healthier ecological future for the region, and Jeff looks forward to continuing to work with local residents and stakeholders to on these crucial issues. 

Jeff knows that America’s health care system is complex and can be stressful, and so always works to lend a helping hand to resolve such issues.

Oregonian Connie Kay received a Medicare bill for nearly $2,000 after requiring medical treatment following an accident. She was certain that she did not owe anything to Medicare and that the bill was a mistake. Connie was extremely concerned, as she relies on a fixed income and the bill would have caused significant financial hardship.

Connie initially reached out to Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) for help, and they referred her case to Jeff’s office. Jeff’s team quickly determined that she was correct in her assessment: She should not have received the bill. Sorting this issue out would have been challenging enough under normal circumstances, but, tragically, Connie lost her adult daughter to breast cancer in the middle of her appeal process. Naturally, this made it all the more difficult for her to focus on gathering the necessary documents to plead her case with Medicare. But with the help of Jeff’s team working with her attorney, Connie’s appeal was successful!

Thanks to the efforts by Jeff and his staff, not only was the $2,000 bill found to be in error, but Connie found out that she was actually entitled to a $400 refund from Medicare. She expressed her gratitude to Jeff for helping her during an extraordinarily difficult time. Donna Delikat from SHIBA was also impressed with the work of Jeff”s office, which she called her “go-to” for help in cases like Connie’s. Ellen Pinney from the Oregon Health Authority further praised the dedication and compassion with which Jeff and his staff advocate on behalf of constituents.

Jeff and his team were delighted to receive the good news for Connie, and look forward to helping others to make nerve-wracking health care billing disputes a bit less stressful.

Jeff has long said that health care is a right, and not a privilege. He works to bring the best possible coverage to all Oregonians, and help people like Sarah Moehrke, an AmeriCorps volunteer in Florence, overcome the many obstacles along the way.

Sarah and six of her colleagues were struggling to get the health care they needed, so Sarah reached out to Jeff’s office to ask for help navigating the difficult system of health care. Working with Sarah, Jeff’s team realized that the AmeriCorps volunteers were wrongly denied coverage due to their small monthly stipends being calculated as income, which disqualified them from coverage.

Jeff’s team quickly jumped in to help. They reached out to Oregon Health Plan (OHP)—Oregon’s version of Medicaid—and helped clarify the volunteers’ case. OHP responded quickly to Jeff’s office and awarded the seven dedicated volunteers health care coverage, starting right away.

Sarah thanked Jeff’s team for the work that was done on their behalf, writing: “Thank you for your help in solving this issue. I know it may seem minor to you, but this is so important to me, and my representatives really stepped up to the plate and showed me what a democracy looks like. Thank you again. Thankful to be serving the great state of Oregon today, and every day.”

Being able to help Sarah and Oregonians like her motivates Jeff and his team to continue their work advocating for Oregonians whose peace of mind and quality of life are at stake.  

Jeff is committed to making education in Oregon a priority, and to helping communities around Oregon realize their education goals.

In February of 2019, the Southwest Oregon Community College (SWOCC) contacted Jeff for help with their efforts to begin construction of a new Health and Science Technology Building. SWOCC’s President, Dr. Patty Scott, had discussed the project’s delays with Jeff while he was in Bandon in January, and when these delays continued into February, the college contacted Jeff for help with a critical need: a clearance letter from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP).

Despite the fact that the federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) had already allocated funding for the college’s new building, they had been stuck facing delays since December. The site for their new building sits on land which is designated historic property, and the college was stuck in a tangle of red tape with the ACHP.

The EDA sent the required notice to the ACHP on December 17, expecting a response within the required 15 days. Without the clearance letter from the ACHP, the EDA was unable to spend any of the federal dollars on any aspect of construction for the school’s new building, even preliminary assessments—despite the fact that the funds were already approved. When the college reached out to Jeff, his team jumped to action. In less than 24 hours, the ACHP provided the letter which the college had been waiting on since December.

Dr. Scott and the entire SWOCC community were thrilled. Once completed, SWOCC’s new Health and Science Technology Building will provide immediate and long-term economic benefits to the South Coast. Additionally, the new building will allow the college to increase its capacity to prepare students for jobs in health care and fast-evolving careers in science and engineering, meeting a significant regional need for new health care professionals.

Thanks to the efforts of Jeff and his team, this important project can now go forward without further delays.

Jeff understands that climate change has a great impact on Oregon farmers. This is especially the case for areas of Eastern Oregon, which have been exceedingly dry in recent years.

That is why Jeff, as ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for Agriculture, pushed for funding for the Resilient Dryland Farming initiative. The Dryland Farming initiative is dedicated to advancing dryland farming practices. This includes methods to increase profitability, conserve resources, and decrease reliance on herbicides. These practices already allow some farms to grow high quality produce without a drop of water! Thanks to Jeff and his team, the Resilient Dryland Farming initiative will receive $2 million this year.

“Very glad to hear this!” Greg Goad, a Pendleton-area farmer, wrote to Jeff. “Chances for the family wheat farms in dry Eastern Oregon surviving and prospering just took a big leap forward thanks to Senator Merkley taking the lead in providing the much-needed funds for additional research in adapting to the hotter and dryer conditions we are all increasingly facing. … Without your support all along the way, we could not have got here.”

Jeff prioritizes sustainable innovation, so that Oregon can best cope with a changing climate, and reduce its impact on jobs and the economy. Jeff will continue to support Oregon farmers.

As a U.S. Senator, Jeff works hard to improve health insurance coverage, especially for his most vulnerable constituents.

Pete Aguilar was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) in May 2016. An ESRD diagnosis means that the kidneys no longer perform well enough to meet the body’s needs and, in order to survive, ESRD patients require a kidney transplant within three years. Mr. Aguilar was initially put on a transplant list, but was taken off in August 2018 when he was unable to show sufficient coverage for the costs of a transplant surgery. Mr. Aguilar tried to find out why his insurance would not cover his procedure, and was told that Medicare could only cover part of his surgery expenses, and that his private insurer would not pay the remaining costs until after a two-and-a-half-year waiting period—far too long for Mr. Aguilar to wait to get on the list.

In the following weeks, Mr. Aguilar wife Tina worked hard in addition to her full time job, to raise $6,000 through a GoFundMe campaign. Though an impressive amount, the $6,000 was still far short of the $28,000 required for the surgery.

At this point, Mr. and Mrs. Aguilar were getting desperate, and Mrs. Aguilar decided to reach out to Jeff’s office seeking help in getting her husband back on the transplant list. After learning about the situation, Jeff’s team helped Mr. Aguilar file an appeal to his insurance provider to waive the waiting period.

In November 2018, the appeal was granted, the insurance provider agreed to cover the surgery expenses, and Mr. Aguilar was put back on the list for a kidney transplant. The Aguilars shared their gratitude for the help that Jeff’s team was able to offer, their relief that Mr. Aguilar was put back on the list, and that they no longer had to worry about paying out-of-pocket for the cost of the surgery.

Jeff Merkley serves all Oregonians, whether they have lived here their whole lives, moved here from afar, or even if they’re only here temporarily.

Constituent Uma Sankar Peram is living in Oregon on an H1B work visa, and it was set to expire in late 2018. He had applied for an extension with plenty of time for response, but his paperwork had been pending for months. At this point, Mr. Peram became desperate about his situation and how it would affect his family if his extension was denied. His employer was getting ready to place him on unpaid leave until the issue was resolved. This was when he decided to contact Jeff’s office.

Jeff’s team reached out to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) and informed them of the situation. Within a week, Mr. Peram’s extension was approved, and he was able to continue working uninterrupted.

Mr. Peram was very grateful to Jeff and his team, and expressed the importance of their help in keeping his job secure and his family together.

Jeff has long maintained that education is the key to success, and is a strong believer that every Oregonian, and American, should have access to education at all levels.

At the end of 2018, Jeff’s office received word that a Head Start program based in Lebanon, Oregon was experiencing difficulty in securing their funding. Kids & Company of Linn County sought to start a preschool program in order to support and educate children in their community. After months of drawn-out obstacles and roadblocks, the Head Start program had remained determined to succeed in their endeavor to provide early childhood education for the children of Linn County. It was at this point that the people behind Kids & Company contacted Jeff’s office, where his team jumped to action.

With some persistence, Jeff’s team was able to track down status updates on the request for funding. The Head Start program credited the team’s prodding when it finally got word that the funding was approved and was on its way.

Jeff and his team were thrilled, and even more delighted for the parents and young Oregonians who would now be able to take advantage of the services that this this Head Start program will provide.

Oregonian and veteran Jack Phillips first filed an application with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in 2014 to receive service-connected veterans’ disability benefits. Mr. Phillips suffers from hearing loss and tinnitus from his time in the military—but Mr. Phillips was having difficulty demonstrating a relationship between hearing loss and his military service.

After a year of facing the process alone, Mr. Phillips called Jeff’s office seeking help, and the team took his case. Despite the odds against success in a case like this, Jeff’s team persistently worked to get Mr. Phillips the assistance he had earned. Jeff’s team would not give up on Mr. Phillips, and finally, to the relief and excitement of everyone involved, word came through that after 3 years, the VA had given their approval for Mr. Phillips to receive his benefit.

Mr. Phillips was very grateful and wrote to Jeff’s team: “You must get a million guys like me, and most of us give up in the face of such bureaucracy. But we didn’t. And thank you. Hats off to you and Senator Merkley.”

Jeff and his team understand the difficulties our veterans face, and are dedicated to getting them the help they have earned.

Jeff knows that decisions in Washington D.C. directly impact Oregonians, and firmly believes that businesses and families should not serve as bargaining chips during political negotiations. When President Trump decided to shut down the government from December 2018 through January 2019, this had grave consequences for many Oregonians.

One of the people who were affected by the shutdown was Jimmy Gould, a farmer in the Klamath Falls area who made a claim for disaster assistance funds after suffering damages during the 2018 drought in Southern Oregon. But when he went to the Farm Service Agency (FSA) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) office in Klamath Falls in January 2019, he was told that his check could not be released due to the government shutdown. Mr. Gould, who had previously worked with Jeff and his staff on water issues, reached out to Jeff for help on the issue.

Jeff’s office contacted the FSA to ensure that Mr. Gould would receive his check as soon as possible once field offices were reopened. The FSA assured Jeff’s team that they would send the check as soon as they finished the clerical work.

Mr. Gould sent his thanks and appreciation to the Senator and his team, saying “You folks—all of you—in that office are on the stick.” Mr. Gould said that Jeff was the only public official who responded to him, and said he is happy that “some part of government is still doing good.”

Jeff understands the critical importance of small harbors to coastal communities. And thanks to the efforts of Jeff and his staff, Depoe Bay, is set to receive important funding.

Dubbed the “World’s Smallest Navigable Harbor,” Depoe Bay Harbor is home to several small fishing charters, as well as an arm of the Oregon Coast Guard. However, in recent years, Depoe Bay Harbor has suffered from a lack of dredging, endangering the safe passage of Coast Guard and fishing vessels alike. Both the fishing industry and Coast Guard operations off of Oregon’s coast are of vital importance for local economy and safety, and silt buildup near the fuel dock blocked access for boats.

In late 2018, officials from Depoe Bay reached out to Jeff’s team, saying the bay’s five-year dredging cycle was no longer tenable. The harbor was last dredged in 2014 but was already long overdue for dredging, and local officials were desperate.

Jeff immediately jumped on the case, and working with local officials, his advocacy ensured funding for the dredging of Depoe Bay Harbor was included in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2019 budget. The Mayor of Depoe Bay thanked Jeff in a letter, saying Jeff and his team were, “instrumental in seeing that not only Depoe Bay, but all the harbor communities on our coast will be supported.”

Jeff and his team will continue to help Depoe Bay work on this challenging issue, and Jeff will continue to fight for Oregon’s coastal communities.

Jeff is committed to helping Oregonians resolve their problems, whether it be an individual’s personal case or a whole town’s emergency.

In July of 2018, the city of Willamina, Oregon encountered problems when a gravel bar at their water intake source shifted, completely covering one of their water intake screens. The city worried that this would result in the inability to provide potable water to their residents. Willamina already endured silt problems in their water, yet had been waiting to find funding to move the intake which would fix this issue. However, the shifted gravel bar escalated the situation to an emergency, demanding immediate action to move the water intake.

Willamina’s city manager sought help from USDA Rural Development immediately to find funding and applied for a permit through the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to do the in-water work. Jeff’s team found out in early September that the permit had been denied. USACE recognized the Willamina Creek as a spawning and rearing habitat for winter steelhead and thus an area to be protected. Since the migrating gravel bar had affected the Willamina intake flows for years, this new issue did not meet the criteria for an urgent/emergency situation, according to standard USACE guidelines.

Jeff’s team immediately contacted the Army Corps of Engineers and explained the details and specifics of this situation, urging them to reconsider.  A few weeks later, Willamina’s city manager notified Jeff’s office that the permit had been reconsidered and this time, approved! The city manager thanked Jeff and his team for their advocacy on behalf of the city of Willamina. 

Jeff understands that dealing with a health issue can be stressful, and believes that accessing proper healthcare should not add to this stress. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, but Jeff and his team seek to help whenever possible.

Oregonian Amanda Deno was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) in 2016, at the age of 43. PF is a chronic and progressive lung disease which makes it difficult for the bloodstream to receive adequate amounts of oxygen. Those with PF are usually given a life expectancy of 4 to 6 years from diagnosis. Unable to work, Ms. Deno moved back in to her parents’ house in Bend, where she applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The Social Security Administration (SSA) denied her initial application, and she appealed, submitting a request for hearing in March 2017. Her attorneys informed her that due to backlog at the SSA, she would not receive the hearing until roughly April 2019.

As Ms. Deno’s condition worsened, she contacted Jeff in 2018 looking for help. Her fear was that her parents, who were already financially supporting her, would have to bear the burden of her funeral and burial costs if her SSI was not approved before she passed away. During this ordeal, Amanda’s attorneys had stopped responding to her phone and email messages.

Jeff’s team found that Ms. Deno’s attorneys had done nothing since March 2017. Jeff’s office submitted a “dire need request” which can expedite hearings in the SSA for those with dire needs for medical attention in order to have their hearing request moved up to the next open slot. The request was accepted and Amanda’s hearing took place in September 2018.

Ms. Deno was approved for her SSI, and the medical doctor who testified on her behalf said she should have received the benefits years ago. She reached out to Jeff’s team to express her “extreme gratitude” for their help, and indicated that she hopes to advocate for disabled persons’ rights in the future.

Jeff joined the Senate Appropriations Committee in 2013 so that Oregon would have a strong voice in decisions about the investments our nation should be making.

Those investments include supporting organizations like the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), which works to promote the integration of refugees, immigrants and the community at large into a self-sufficient, healthy and inclusive society. For immigrants who come to the Portland area looking to start new lives, the IRCO strives to help through various programs for youth, families, as well as programs aimed to offer employment help and language-learning.

Jeff worked to assist IRCO in winning a $187,500 grant from the Child Care Microenterprise Development Program. The Child Care Microenterprise Development Program grant helps refugee women succeed in the workplace, by providing childcare services in areas with a shortage of sufficient help. With Jeff’s support and urging, IRCO was also a recipient of both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Refugee Career Pathways Program as well as the U. S. Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Services for Victims of All Forms of Human Trafficking Services. This money works to combat human trafficking while also ensuring that newly arrived refugees in Oregon can get their feet on the ground with job opportunities and access to childcare.

As a native Oregonian, Jeff enjoys spending time outdoors in the beauty of our great state whenever possible. Jeff makes environmental protection a high priority, and he works with passion to secure federal funding for projects that preserve the beautiful lands and wildlife of Oregon and improve access for recreation.

In 2018, Jeff helped secure three major grants from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for projects in Oregon. The Burns-Paiute tribe received $215,000 in federal money for a one-year project aimed at increasing sustainability under the General Assistance Project and the Clear Water Act. Additionally, $69,525 was given to the Lane Council of Governments for its project to improve wetland local planning. It seeks to utilize new technologies to improve wetland assessment and protection. Further, with Jeff’s support and advocacy, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians received $177,314 to build tribal capacity for resource planning and habitat restoration. The tribes also plan to expand the Wetland Program Plan and conduct essential wetland assessments.

Jeff will continue his efforts to make sure environmental projects in the state receive federal funding to help mitigate the effects of climate change and pollution.

Jeff is committed to helping constituents deal with problems related to federal agencies and ensuring that every Oregonian receives the government benefits they are entitled to.

Paul Ley reached out to Jeff when the Social Security Administration (SSA) failed to update his address after he had moved from New Mexico to Oregon in September 2016. As a result, he no longer received payments from his Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Paul was assigned a hearing slot before an Administrative Law Judge, but the hearing was to be held in New Mexico. Jeff’s team set to work moving the hearing to a more accessible location. Ultimately, Mr. Ley was able to have his hearing moved to the first available slot at the SSA hearings office in Eugene. Shortly after his hearing, Mr. Ley called Jeff’s team to inform them that he had once again successfully obtained his SSDI benefits.

Jeff understands that Social Security benefits are essential to many Oregonians, and he and his team members are happy to aid constituents like Mr. Ley with navigating the bureaucracy to access their benefits.

Jeff recognizes the sacrifices that veterans have made for this country, and strives to serve them with the excellence they deserve. Mark Woods retired from the Army in September 2005 with the rank of E6 (Staff Sergeant), but believed he was entitled to the rank of E7 (Sergeant First Class) based on his service. Mr. Woods had submitted a request to the Army Grade Determination Review Board (AGDRB) to correct his rank several months before, but his case had failed to move forward in their process.

Mr. Woods attended a Merkley town hall meeting in Josephine County in January 2017, where Jeff reminded people that his office could help with issues related to federal bureaucracy. There, Mr. Woods explained his request for a correction to his U.S. Army rank and the issues that he was dealing with. Jeff and his team went to work to help resolve the issue.

Jeff’s office contacted the AGDRB, pointing out that Mr. Woods’ request adhered to Army regulations, and urged them to pull his request out of bureaucratic limbo and act on it.

Not long after, Mr. Woods contacted Jeff with good news: AGDRB notified him that they would be correcting his grade to E7. Mr. Woods said that the intervention and advocacy on his behalf by Jeff and the team was responsible for getting his rank corrected.

Mr. Woods will soon be starting a new job as a wildland firefighter.

Jeff understands that dealing with bureaucratic agencies can be cumbersome and at times frustrating. That’s why it is a priority for him and his team to help constituents navigate red tape.

Diane Roelandt contacted Jeff’s office in March 2018 after unsuccessfully trying for over a year to resolve an issue with the Connecticut Teachers’ Retirement Board. The Retirement Board was mistakenly sending her retirement account statements, although she had never lived nor worked in Connecticut. Jeff’s team helped her get in touch with the right people in Connecticut and also connected her with the Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) in Oregon. Within half a day, Diane’s problem was addressed and she received an explanation as well as an apology from the Retirement Board.

Ms. Roelandt said she was “rather astonished” that Jeff’s office would be so helpful on such a minor issue, but Jeff knows that even small errors can have a significant impact on people’s lives, and that it can be difficult to get in touch with the right people to fix them. Jeff is glad to help Oregonians like Ms. Roelandt resolve frustrations with bureaucracy. 

David Kaye lost his wife to a tragic snorkeling accident in the Caribbean in March of 2018, and through his mourning was tasked with handling all of her affairs. That’s when he encountered issues trying to claim his wife’s life insurance policy.

The life insurance company refused to accept the Consular Death Report of a U.S. Citizen Abroad (CRDA) as official proof that his late wife had died. The company insisted on obtaining an original death certificate from the Netherlands, the nation governing the island where Mrs. Kaye passed away, and refused to accept a photocopy of that certificate along with the CRDA. The company even refused to explain why they wouldn’t accept any documentation besides the original death certificate, only telling Mr. Kaye that it was “company policy.”

After this months-long correspondence with the insurance company, Mr. Kaye contacted Jeff’s staff for help on the issue. Jeff’s staff discovered that the company was a subdivision of a larger insurance company with headquarters in Minnesota. The staff reached out and connected with the Minnesota Department of Commerce, which regulates Minnesota-based insurance companies, and requested that they look into the issue on Mr. Kaye’s behalf. The Department of Commerce immediately looked into the problem, and after researching the matter, confirmed that a CRDA would be sufficient proof of death under Minnesota law.

After a few weeks, the company processed the life insurance claim and offered a sincere and heartfelt apology to Mr. Kaye and ensured that they would look into their foreign death claims process. Mr. Kaye was grateful that Jeff’s staff was able to lend their expertise and time to fix the situation.

Emily and Jamie Williams contacted Jeff’s office in late May 2018, after their young daughter, Grace, had been diagnosed with DIPG, an aggressive and terminal brain cancer.

However, earlier in the spring of 2018, Grace had been accepted into a potentially life-saving clinical trial at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF), scheduled to have begun at the end of May. But with only a few days remaining before the trial was scheduled to start, the drug used in the clinical trial was impounded on the way to UCFS and transferred to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)—a standard protocol, but one that threatened Grace’s life. If the clinical trial wasn’t able to start on time, it would be several weeks, or even months before the family could re-apply to be a part of the next trial. Given the diagnosis, it seemed unlikely that Grace would live to see the next trial.

Jeff’s office immediately contacted the FDA with an inquiry about the status of USCF’s request for the shipment. Jeff’s office wanted to make sure that UCSF had applied for one of several exemptions which could help expedite the shipment for the clinical trial. Less than six hours after the initial inquiry to the FDA, Jeff’s office received word that the FDA released the hold on the crucial drug, just in time for the clinical trial to begin on schedule for the Williams and their daughter. 

Thanks to quick work from Jeff’s office, Grace survived and is continuing to undergo treatment for her brain tumor. 

Helping veterans and their families navigate the Veterans Affairs system is one of Jeff Merkley’s top priorities.

In the spring of 2017, Oregon constituent Susan Gilman had been unable to receive payments from the Survivors Benefits Plan (SBP) that had been arranged by her husband. She was scheduled to receive funds beginning in April, but when she contacted Jeff’s office on August 22, she still had yet to receive any payments. Ms. Gilman had submitted all of the required paperwork correctly to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) which manages SBP, but was still facing issues receiving her annuity. When she had called the DFAS, she was reassured that her paperwork was being processed and that she would begin to receive the annuity soon. Still, when she still was not receiving the annuity in August, she contacted DFAS again and learned that nothing had been done regarding her paperwork.

After learning the details of Ms. Gillman’s case, Jeff’s team was able to get in contact with DFAS. On September 4th, Ms. Gillman informed Jeff’s office that she finally began receiving payments, including payments dating back to April.

Jeff is happy to have had the opportunity to help Ms. Gillman, and other Oregonians, receive the VA benefits their families have earned.

One of the reasons Jeff decided to run for the Oregon State Legislature was to work towards building a better education system for his children. Jeff understands that a critical pillar of this system is ensuring that working families have affordable access to institutions of higher education and that these institutions receive the funding they need.  

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Education, he works hard to make sure federal money goes into the hands of institutions of higher education like the University of Oregon. Just recently, the U of O’s Center for Applied Second Language Studies received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education which will provide funding for innovative solutions to improve language learning in foreign, secondary, and heritage contexts. This small but prestigious grant award sends positive signals to grant-awarding foundations who then can amplify the funding activity.

Jeff will continue to use his influence on the appropriations committee to ensure that institutions like the University of Oregon are able to receive the critical grant money that will help the next generation of Oregonians succeed.

Summer 2017 saw a flurry of opportunities for Oregon’s workforce development. This last July, the Economic Development Administration invested $3 million in funds to renovate Treasure Valley Community College’s Career and Technical Education facility in Ontario, Oregon. The newly expanded facility will open the door for workers within the local economy to receive training and education necessary for their professional advancement. Treasure Valley Community College’s career programs aim to supply able workers to firms requiring refined skills sets, ultimately leading to higher paying employment opportunities within the Oregon economy.

More specifically, the community college hopes to invest in their vocational-technology departments, redirecting funds towards agricultural, crop science, and welding programs. Vocational-technology programs are the forefront of worker growth, something Treasure Valley has been quick to recognize. The newfound funding further enables Treasure Valley Community College to bolster their partnership program with local school districts, enabling high school students to pursue dual credit opportunities.

Jeff is thrilled by the investment opportunity. The expansion signals a new terrain for Oregon’s workforce – one of skill and education. The power of career education for creating workforce opportunity is essential to Oregon’s progress. Programs such as the Treasure Valley Community College’s Career and Technical Education deserve support because they build up what matters most, Oregon’s home front. 

The Veteran Affairs office provides aid and services to America’s heroes. Jeff is honored to assist Oregon veterans as they pursue the benefits their service guarantees.

Last fall, Oregon veteran Lloyd Murders contacted Jeff and requested help redeeming the VA disability benefits he had been awarded earlier in the year. Evidently, Mr. Murders’ veteran service representative informed him in June that his disability benefits had been approved by the VA; however, by September Mr. Murders still had not received the decision letter detailing the amount of disability pension he could expect to collect. Without that letter, Mr. Murders could not access his benefits and was left with nothing in hand. After learning of Mr. Murders’ circumstance, Jeff’s team contacted the VA and raised the alarm on Mr. Murders’ case.

According to Mr. Murders, the Jeff’s team’s efforts “lit a fire under the VA.” With the office’s assistance, Mr. Murders received his decision letter along with $77,000 in retroactive pension payments. 

In the case of Mr. Murders and so many other veteran constituents, Jeff is glad to be able to facilitate successful dealings with the VA. Ensuring that Oregon veterans have access to the benefits they’ve earned is a top priority for Jeff and his team. 

Jeff Merkley understands the importance of detailed consideration when calculating veteran disability pensions. He is honored to provide advice and aid to Oregonian veterans as they maneuver the VA system.

Jeff took action to help veteran constituent William Goldman redeem his disability benefits last summer when Mr. Goldman informed the Senator that the VA had erroneously slashed his monthly pension by $15. Apparently, Mr. Goldman had received notice from the VA earlier in the year stating that they would be reducing his pension payment despite Mr. Goldman’s continued need. With aid from a county veteran services representative, Mr. Goldman was able to appeal the reduction. However, after six months of waiting Mr. Goldman still had not received an updated monthly payment amount. Jeff’s team spoke to the VA on Mr. Goldman’s behalf and prompted the agency to amend their error. Within a few weeks, the VA restored the $15 a month they had taken, and increased Mr. Goldman’s pension by an additional $10 a month in light of the evidence he provided.

Jeff is happy to have the opportunity to give Mr. Goldman’s case its due diligence. This success highlights the value of Jeff’s dedication to his constituents. Every case matters and Jeff is proud to do what he can to help Oregon’s best. 

When it comes mortgage management, Oregonians warrant the utmost diligence and consideration from their banks. Jeff understands the importance of procedural evaluations and attention to detail while determining people’s financial standing. Ensuring that Oregonian’s receive the consideration they deserve is a primary concern for Jeff and his staff.

Oregon constituent Wendy Miller spent months lost within the Citibank system. In January 2017, the bank took action to foreclose Ms. Miller’s home. Disturbingly, Citibank refused to acknowledge the nuances of Ms. Miller’s finances and despite detailed documentation of her unique condition, they failed to reevaluate their decision to foreclose her home. Ms. Miller exerted considerable effort to negotiate with Citibank, yet, the company remained stagnant in their demonstrative decision.

As a graduate student and mother, Ms. Miller needs her Portland home to remain financially stable. This, mixed with Citibank’s erroneous miscalculation and inability to communicate openly with Ms. Miller prompted Jeff and his team to investigate the case further. 

After learning the details of Ms. Miller’s case, Jeff’s team was able to coax Citibank into reevaluating the circumstances and granting Ms. Miller a Trial Payment Period. Alleviating the stress of foreclosure and allowing Ms. Miller to pursue her studies.

Ms. Miller’s dealings with Citibank highlight the value to detail-orientated evaluation. Jeff’s efforts to turn Citibank’s attention towards Ms. Miller’s cause is just one example of his dedication to Oregonians in their pursuit of financial justice. 

Navigating Veteran Affairs health care can be difficult. Jeff strives to ensure that the men and women who served their country receive the benefits they deserve.

Last April, veteran Don Davis contacted the Senator in need of help getting VA authorization for dental care from a non-VA dentist that was located near his home in Salem. Mr. Davis has a military service-related disability that makes it difficult for him to travel several hours to the Portland VA — the closest Veterans Affairs dental provider to his home. Considering Mr. Davis’s unique circumstances, Jeff’s office took immediate action to facilitate a conversation between Mr. Davis and the VA. After months of communication with the VA on Mr. Davis’s behalf, Jeff successfully won approval for Mr. Davis to see a non-VA dentist. Jeff’s efforts enabled this Oregon veteran to receive the care he needed.

However, the case was not settled yet. In July, after receiving an assessment of his condition and projected expenses, Mr. Davis learned that the VA would not approve the dental care plan proposed by the non-VA dentist. The non-VA dentist proposed a targeted plan that would place several crowns in Mr. Davis’s mouth in order to save his teeth without causing further damage. The VA preferred that all of Mr. Davis’s teeth be removed and replaced with dentures. Again, Jeff fought for Mr. Davis’s right to take control of his own health care and choose the procedure that was best for him. Ultimately, Jeff’s office convinced the VA chief of dentistry to approve the non-VA plan and provide Mr. Davis with quality, compassionate care.

Jeff knows that veterans fought for their country, and so he’ll never stop fighting for their right to receive quality health care.

When Mr. Greg Bechtel approached Jeff last month and asked for his help getting emergency veteran assistance, Jeff was quick to assist. Mr. Bechtel, a disabled veteran, survives on a monthly VA disability pension. After moving to Cambodia, Mr. Bechtel noticed that his October pension payment was not properly deposited to his bank account. Worried, Mr. Bechtel reached out to the VA and asked them to resolve the issue. The VA was slow to respond and in the interim Mr. Bechtel’s landlord threatened to evict him and his family. With Jeff’s assistance, Mr. Bechtel was able to postpone the eviction for a week and pursue his pension payment. Going further, Jeff contacted both the Portland and Pittsburg VA offices, hoping to identify the cause of Mr. Bechtel’s strife. With a bit of sleuthing, Jeff discovered that there was a clerical error in the VA’s benefit system and Mr. Bechtel’s bank account number had been mistyped. Jeff alerted the VA and the error was corrected.

Because of Jeff’s dedication to Mr. Bechtel’s case, the Veteran was able to pay his rent. While thanking Jeff, Mr. Bechtel remarked, “I very much appreciate your help. I messaged all of my state reps, and only [you] responded, so [you] can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned and [you’ve] got a lifelong supporter/campaigner when we [Mr. Bechtel and family] come back to America in a few years.”

Jeff is proud to serve Oregon’s veterans. By championing their causes, Jeff is able to ensure Oregon’s service men and women collect the benefits they deserve.

Original quote:

“I very much appreciate your help.  I messaged all of my state reps, and only Sen. Merkley responded, so please pass on to the Senator he can do no wrong as far as I'm concerned and he's got a lifelong supporter/campaigner when we come back to America in a few years.”

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is intended to provide basic necessities to disabled, sick, and aged low-income Americans. Jeff recognizes the program’s ability to enable those with difficult life battles to continue living their life to its fullest.

In December, Senator Merkley’s staff took action to assist Kaytlin Lucas and her daughter River Imholt on their journey to access Supplementary Security Income benefits. Ms. Lucas had recently stopped working in order to provide full time care for her disabled daughter and needed SSI benefits in order to maintain financial stability. While Ms. Lucas’s decision was right for her family, it left her and her daughter in a financial crisis. Unfortunately, the first time Ms. Lucas applied for SSI, she was found ineligible for the benefits due to the considerable donations from friends and family she had saved in her GoFund Me account. As those savings dwindled, Ms. Lucas reapplied for SSI but received no response from the Social Security office. Ultimately, Senator Merkley’s office was able to intervene and ensure that Ms. Lucas and her daughter’s application was approved and the family received the aid they needed. Furthermore, Jeff’s team was able to arrange for the family to receive retroactive benefits in order to alieve their immediate financial dilemma.

Jeff hopes that SSI can continue to be a realistic tool for families and individuals to financially sustain themselves in times of crisis. The necessity and regular use of SSI and other social programs remind Jeff who he’s fighting for – Americans in their pursuit of happiness. 

Jeff knows that native tribes in Oregon have faced challenges in getting the resources their communities need to thrive.

That’s why he fought to ensure programs critical to Oregon’s tribes were funded, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, and the HRSA Health Center Program.

“Please thank Senator Merkley for us for his amazing work during these extremely challenging times to take care of the people of this country and our state,” said Jackie Mercer, Chief Executive Officer of the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA-NW), which provides integrated health, mental health, substance abuse treatment, and social services to Native American and Alaska Native people who are homeless or have low incomes.

“I can only imagine the extra, extra efforts that it is taking,” she continued. “I know the fight isn’t done but I want you to know the children and families and elders are so much better off for all his hard work.”

Each time a constituent reaches out with a personal concern, Jeff takes the opportunity to see how he can help. When Audrey Keller and Bruce Shelquist of Milwaukie contacted Jeff’s office in August and explained that they had still not received their 2017 tax return, Jeff’s team took initiative to investigate.

Jeff’s office contacted the IRS on the behalf of Ms. Keller and Mr. Shelquist and learned that the couple’s tax return had been unnecessarily held up.  Navigating the bureaucracy, Jeff’s office notified the IRS of the error. Within a few weeks, Ms. Keller and Mr. Shelquist received their tax return.

Jeff is proud to serve constituents like Ms. Keller and Mr. Shelquist and help them navigate what can be complicated government agencies. 

The safety and security of Oregonians is one of Jeff’s top concerns. Proper equipment, staffing, and funding for local fire departments can make all the difference in ensuring Oregonians’ protection from fire and other natural dangers.

Recently, Jeff took initiative to help the Clackamas Fire Department receive essential funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for six new firefighting and paramedic positions. Located in the Boring and Eagle Creek area, the newly funded positions will ease the workload of surrounding fire departments and ensure that the community receives close by, local protection. The FEMA grant further empowers the communities of Eagle Creek and Boring to develop strong aid capabilities – building Oregon’s network of emergency protection.

Jeff values Oregon’s first responders’ efforts to protect Oregon’s citizens. He is proud to champion fire departments across the state with the tools and staffing necessary to safeguard Oregon’s communities. 

The United States has one of the most convoluted visa application processes in the world. Petitioning for a visa and entrance into the country can take months, and sometimes the application isn’t even approved.           

Portland resident and Oregon constituent Erika Kushtan recognizes firsthand the difficulty of America’s visitor visa application process. Ms. Kushtan’s mother-in-law and brother-in-law are citizens of Ukraine, and the complex legality of the U.S visa system has kept the family apart for years. Despite early visa application rejections, Ms. Kushtan pushed heavily for her family’s visitor visas – hoping her mother-in-law and brother-in-law would be able to meet her two young children. After struggling alone, Ms. Kushtan turned to Senator Merkley for aid. Senator Merkley’s staff was able to petition the Kyiv Embassy for the family’s reunion. In a letter, Merkley’s team advocated that Ms. Kushtan’s family’s applications for visitor visas be given full and fair consideration under the law. Senator Merkley’s staff’s efforts eased some of the application tension and enabled Ms. Kushtan’s mother-in-law to acquire a visitor visa.

Jeff understands the frustration associated with family visits, international travel, and visitor visa applications. He aims to alleviate Oregonian’s stress, both on a personal and political level, to ensure the visitor visas are accessible to those who need them. 

With too many hoops and unnecessary obstacles in the way for veterans in crisis to receive help, Mr. Dan Davis called the Veterans Administration (VA) and the FCC with a recommendation to simplify the suicide hotline telephone number.

Under the former system, military veterans seeking help and suicide prevention assistance called a 1-800 VA number to only then be redirected to call another number specifically for suicide prevention.

With about 22 veterans committing suicide each day, Mr. Davis recognized that veterans in crisis needed an easier way to call for help.

After not receiving an answer from the VA, Mr. Davis turned to Senator Merkley to help get the job done. That’s when Jeff’s team went to the VA to follow up on Mr. Davis’ recommendation. Due to the efforts of Mr. Davis, and with the intervention from Jeff’s office, the VA notified Mr. Davis that they would be implementing his recommendation in August 2016.

The new system – Option 7 – will give callers faced with a suicide crisis the ability to get help by pressing one number after dialing the 1-800 number instead of having to redial an entirely different number.

Thanks to the work of Mr. Davis, military veterans in crisis can more easily get the help they need.

Military veterans have displayed courage and bravery to protect our nation and freedom. They stood up for us, and we must stand up for them – especially when veterans are in times of crisis.

Read more about Jeff’s efforts to help get a new veterans crisis line: http://www.mailtribune.com/article/20160601/NEWS/160609958.

Despite working in the cybersecurity industry and having knowledge about identity theft, Mark Ertle wasn’t able to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft himself.

When Ertle filed his taxes a few years ago, he found out that his refund had already been given out to a criminal who filed a tax return under his name. Ertle was forced to undergo an extensive process to prove that he was a victim of identity theft. He was eventually able to collect his return – but the repercussions of the identity theft did not stop there.

Later, when Ertle was trying to purchase a new home, the bank requested tax information from the IRS and received the fraudulent return filed by the identity thief instead of the legitimate return sent by Ertle. He was then denied the loan and left unable to purchase the home. Looking for help, Ertle turned to Jeff’s office.

Jeff’s staff were able to help Ertle get the necessary information and contacts from the IRS he needed to clear up the mistakes and to ensure that the proper tax information will be used for loans in the future.

In April, Senator Jeff Merkley hosted a press conference regarding tax identity theft where Ertle spoke about his own personal experience and how this issue can affect everyone.

Read about the press conference and how to protect yourself from identity theft at the link below:

http://koin.com/2016/04/08/jeff-merkley-calls-on-irs-to-tackle-tax-id-theft/

In the summer of 2015, Allison Johnson was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic melanoma with metastases to the liver, gallbladder, and lymph nodes – she was advised that she had about six months to live. Despite living with a terminal illness, she was denied Social Security Disability, without which she would have been left in a financial bind making her unable to enjoy her remaining days.                                                                                                                        

After hearing her case, Jeff stepped in right away and had his staff contact the Portland Office of Disability Adjudication and Review and advised them of Allison’s dire and urgent needs by pointing out that she met the criteria for both a terminal illness claim and compassionate allowance claim. The Senior Attorney then made an on-the-record decision to approve her claim in January 2016 to get her the benefits she deserved.

After months of being denied appropriate help, Ms. Johnson was now being properly cared for and could focus on enjoying her days with her 16-year-old son.

Jeff believes that every Oregonian should receive the service and resources they deserve, and that’s why Jeff and his staff are committed to cutting the red tape to get the help all Oregonians deserve.

For over 20 years Oregonian Troy Bachmann has been running businesses in Mexico exporting produce, and one day he discovered that employees had been stealing from him. He reported it to officials and in turn, Bachmann was arrested. He was accused of not paying his employees and faced an eight month prison sentence in Mexico.

Upon learning of Bachmann’s case, Senator Jeff Merkley and his DC and Portland offices worked tirelessly, for weeks, to bring Bachmann home, including meetings with the Mexican ambassador and numerous calls to local and state Mexican officials.  

According to a KATU report on Bachmann’s case and the effort to get him home, the commitment from Senator Merkley’s team was the turning point to help Bachmann. 

Jeff’s commitment to Oregonians goes beyond just the environment, economy, and general welfare of Oregonians. Jeff looks to ensure that each and every Oregonian is safe and can live a full life, whether they are at home or abroad.

Below is a news report from KATU detailing Bachmann’s return home from the Mexican prison and the efforts Jeff and his staff:

http://katu.com/news/local/oregon-man-jailed-in-mexico-for-months-finally-released

Due to a massive rainstorm in December 2015, the Wheeler Post Office was forced to shut down, leaving the community unable to send or receive mail. The only option for residents was to go to the post office in Nehalem, but it proved too inefficient as the community could only get their mail between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. It became an obstacle for shift workers and elderly residents.

With the community facing an undue burden, the Mayor of Wheeler called Senator Merkley’s office to help reopen the Post Office. Jeff’s office jumped right in to help.

In order to alleviate some of challenges of the stop-gap solutions, Jeff’s team helped implement a system where the Postal Service would pick up mail from a box placed in front of the Wheeler Post Office. With a new system in place, the community could finally send out daily mail.

While trying to fill in the holes while the Post Office was closed, Jeff’s team continued to advocate for the Post Office to be re-opened. Jeff visited the Post Office while on a tour of the city of Wheeler and met with the mayor and city officials to learn why the Post Office had not been re-opened.

After seven months of advocating for a re-opening of the Post Office and temporary solutions by the community and Jeff’s team, the Wheeler Post Office re-opened on July 29. Read more about how Jeff helped the community of Wheeler: http://www.tillamookheadlightherald.com/news_paid/oregon-senator-visits-wheeler-tillamook/article_62770ccc-5236-11e6-ad0a-7f446d359525.html

During the summer of 2013, Pacific Pipeline Connector company (PPC) performed a series of environmental impact studies and appraisals on Steve Prien’s property in Malin, Oregon. The company was interested in purchasing the land for a natural gas pipeline going from Malin to Coos Bay for the Jordan Cove export facility.

In the fall, thinking his home and property were in escrow because PPC had made verbal commitments, Steve considered it a done deal so he and his wife moved into a rental unit. Months later, he hadn’t heard anything from PPC. Losing money in both rent and heating bills for a house he wasn’t living in, Steve contacted Jeff Merkley's office for help getting answers and money from PPC.

Jeff’s staff spoke with people at PPC and eventually convinced James Goudreau at PPC to call Steve and talk things over. James promised to issue a check to cover Steve’s costs of moving. He also offered to relook at the sale/option for the property (resulting in an option sale contract and income for the Priens until the sale can be finalized) and to update Steve weekly on the permitting progress.

Steve and his family are grateful that Jeff’s team took the time to help connect Steve with the right people at the company to solve this issue. It’s not always about passing legislation; sometimes making the right connections for Oregonians can make a world of difference.

When Echanis Distributing, a beer, wine, and water distributor in Ontario, Oregon, was approaching the verge of bankruptcy, the office of Jeff Merkley acted quickly to help save the company.

Echanis Distributing is close to 65 years old and employs about 15 people whose livelihoods were in jeopardy when the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) prohibited them from driving their distribution routes, effectively shutting down the business. The company had overlooked a technical requirement within some updated regulations for travel logs, and had also failed to supply some required safety reports.

Echanis Distributing made a good faith effort to supply all the necessary information to both agencies, and ODOT was satisfied with the company’s compliance, but USDOT was not. That’s when business owner John Echanis sought help from State Representative Cliff Bentz, who directed him to Jeff Merkley.

Oregon needs more local businesses, not fewer, so this case became a high priority for Jeff and his staff. Working with Mr. Echanis and USDOT, the senator’s staff obtained and relayed the necessary information. Two days later, the USDOT lifted the driving ban and the company was back in business.

During the federal government shutdown in October of 2013, the sediment buildup in the Port of Astoria was three feet short of being a serious problem. If not for Jeff Merkley, the port might have needed to apply draft restrictions eliminating the Port’s ability to accommodate bulk carriers, resulting in millions of dollars in lost commerce.

Astoria is accustomed to dredging its port–sediment buildup accrues quickly there–but the shutdown had stalled the dredge permit in 2013, so the Port’s Executive Director, Mike Weston, sought help from Jeff. The senator’s staff that was not furloughed at the time contacted the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) pleading the port’s case. With Jeff’s support, NOAA was able to designate some resources to complete their review, bringing the port closer to earning the legal authority it needed to dredge.

In December, with other permits secured, the port still needed authority from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the emergency dredging. Again, Mr. Weston enlisted the help of Jeff's office. After three days and some phone calls, the port finally received the final permits necessary to dredge.

With the crisis averted, the port remained fully open to serve as an economic hub of the community.

If Paul Regelin hadn’t obtained a medical waiver before April 6, 2011, he would have lost his job.

Mr. Regelin was a commercial truck driver and as a diabetic, he needed to obtain a medical waiver from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to maintain an Oregon Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Without the license, he would not be able to keep his job.

He had completed all of the necessary doctors’ visits and had submitted all of his paperwork to the FMCSA and was awaiting review and approval of his waiver application. After waiting longer than he was comfortable, he contacted the office of Jeff Merkley.

Jeff has long emphasized the importance creating middle-income jobs, and he is just as committed to helping Oregon residents maintain middle-income jobs, so his staff spoke to the FMCSA to stress the time-sensitive nature of Mr. Regelin’s case.

In mid-March 2011, with no more word from the administration, Jeff's staff ramped up their efforts, managing to obtain a temporary waiver for Mr. Regelin in time for him to keep his job. He obtained the full waiver in mid-April 2011.

Without this intervention, Mr. Regelin is confident he would not have received the waiver in time.

In August of 2012, a private Medicare contractor owed Ron Mogel of Ashland several thousand dollars, and, when he contacted the office of Jeff Merkley, he was in a financial bind. He was still paying out of pocket for treatment of injuries he sustained on the job in 2005, and he was dealing with a mound of past medical bills and the fallout from the recession.

Mr. Mogel had submitted the necessary paperwork to the Medicare Secondary Payer Recovery Contractor (MSPRC) in December 2011, and for nine months, the only thing they told him was that his case was "pending."

Jeff's staff stepped in and contacted Medicare right away, pointing out that Mr. Mogel’s nine-month wait was already eight months too long. MSPRC promised to complete his claim and to pay him within a month. A month later, when Mr. Mogel still hadn’t received his payment, Jeff's staff ramped up their efforts until his claim was actually completed ten days later.

Nearly eight years after his injury, Ron Mogel had finally received his compensation that he was owed. Jeff believes that no Oregonian should have to wait this long to get the services and resources they deserve and that’s why he has a team in his office that is dedicated to helping Oregonians cut red tape and get the help they need.

During World War II, Eugene resident Fred Selko served as a medic in France. He and others serving in the 100th Infantry Division field hospital managed to evacuate a French town located in an active war zone. His courageous actions saved countless lives, and the U.S. military awarded Mr. Selko with the combat field medical badge and two bronze stars for his actions in World War II.

Mr. Selko’s son Jamie Selko contacted the office of Jeff Merkley in February 2014 inquiring to see if his father was eligible for additional recognition for his actions. Jamie was hoping to surprise his father with additional military honors at an event with the entire family.

By April, Jeff’s office had succeeded in obtaining the French Legion of Honor award for Mr. Selko. The process took a few months of coordinating with the French government, but ultimately, the Legion of Honor --the highest award in France – was awarded to Mr. Selko. Once the paperwork was completed, a ceremony to award the medal was performed in Eugene. Mr. Selko’s family flew in from Texas and Idaho to celebrate his courageous actions during World War II.

Perhaps best of all, the award came as a complete surprise to Mr. Selko, who expressed his happiness at receiving the honor.

In May 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared the Klamath Basin a federal disaster area due to drought conditions. The Klamath had struggled with drought in the past – limited water in 2001 led to a shutdown of the Federal irrigation system, harming farming families and tearing the community apart with protests. Subsequent water management hurt fish downstream and led to a massive die-off of salmon.

When the 2010 drought began, Jeff Merkley met with local leaders who had been working together to develop a collaborative approach to managing the limited water supply and avoid conflict in the future. They communicated that another drought could mean family farms and ranches would have to shut down, leaving crops and livestock with little or no water, and that they were deeply concerned that another drought could again divide a community that was trying to work together. Jeff vowed to help avoid another crisis.

Making good on that promise, Jeff worked with Senate leaders, Senator Wyden, and colleagues in both parties to get $10 million dollars for the Klamath Basin included in a Senate emergency spending bill. The day the bill was on the floor, Jeff cancelled his meetings and tirelessly shuttled from Republican senator to senator, addressing their concerns so they would allow the amendment to move. He even called Representative Greg Walden to come to the Senate Republican cloakroom and help Jeff persuade a Republican colleague who had once served in the House with Walden.

The funding Jeff secured was used for a land idling project so that farmers could receive incentive payments to avoid watering for the growing season. This allowed these farmers to pay their bills and avoid financial ruin while also allowing limited water supplies to be spread further.

Jeff was pleased to come to the aid of farmers and ranchers during the 2010 drought. However, he was also keenly aware that the Klamath Basin needs a long term solution to its water management challenges in order to end the decades of water wars. He pledged to community leaders – irrigation districts, ranching and farming families, tribes who depend on stream flows to support native fish populations, conservation groups and fishing organizations – that if they could come up with a solution that they could all support, he would do everything within his power to make it a reality. In 2011, he introduced a bill to implement the community’s solution and is currently partnering with Senator Wyden to pass an updated version of the legislation.

During the summer of 2013, Bandon, Oregon was swamped with mosquitos–literally.

As part of a large tidal marsh restoration project, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) had recently re-engineered channels to make sure that areas inundated by high tides would drain as the tide went out, but these channels proved insufficient for several areas of marsh, which promptly became massive breeding grounds for at least five species of mosquitos. The pests became such a problem that the county health director had to issue a health alert and nearby residents were miserable.

During Jeff Merkley’s annual town hall in Coos County, Jeff heard testimony from local residents about the swarms of mosquitos and even saw footage of bags full of mosquitos that had been caught. Soon after, he wrote a letter to the USFWS asking that they not only dig additional channels to address the problem, but also to compensate Coos County for the cost of immediate abatement to get rid of the mosquitos. This was a significant relief to the county, which was not financially prepared for such a burden.

Without the help of Jeff and Congressman Defazio who also stepped up to ask the USFWS to take immediate action, the situation in Bandon could have only gotten worse. While there are still steps that must be taken to ensure the new channels are dug correctly so the marsh is restored and the mosquitoes no longer have a place to breed, Senator Merkley was pleased to help the local community get some relief from a very bad situation last summer.

In July of 2011, Jeff Merkley held a Congressional field hearing to hear directly from local educators, teachers and even students about the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). During that hearing, Jeff talked about his efforts to increase Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in our schools and had a Portland area robotics team attend the hearing and show off the robots that they had built.

Heidi Sipe, the Superintendent of the Umatilla school district, who was at the hearing to talk about the effect of ESEA on rural school districts spoke with Jeff afterwards about the impact that a robotics team would have on the Umatilla school district and how rural school districts are largely left out of these types of activities. Jeff agreed that having hands on STEM education in all areas of the state is crucial to providing the best education for our students. He encouraged Heidi to apply for STEM-related grants to launch her idea of a robotics club in rural Oregon.

In 2012, the Umatilla robotics team was born. In 2013, they made it to the national finals. In 2014, they placed 57th in the world robotics championship, an achievement of which the entire community is extremely proud. Heidi and the team attribute their existence and following successes to Jeff, and are grateful that the students in Umatilla now have the opportunity for hands-on education and training in STEM education.

Harley Fitzhugh from Echo, Oregon lost his hearing in the Pacific Campaign during World War II, but had been denied disability and compensation benefits for years by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans risk their lives for their country, and Jeff Merkley believes that when our veterans stand up for us overseas, we’ve got to stand up for them here at home. When Harley’s daughter Penny Gavette sought help to get her father the benefits he deserved, Jeff's office responded.

Jeff's staff helped Penny appeal the decision, and eventually Mr. Fitzhugh was awarded 90 percent disability rating for hearing loss as well as a 100 percent rating for post-traumatic stress disorder. On top of that, he received back pay compensation. This was a huge relief for Mr. Fitzhugh and his family who had been turned away for years and was finally getting the benefits and services that he deserved.

The family is deeply grateful to Jeff and his staff for their help and kindness. Without them, Mr. Fitzhugh and his family may still be waiting for a determination of benefits.

Billy and Laura Killion owned a Sizzler franchise in Ontario, Oregon. The restaurant employed thirty-two people (sixteen full-time and sixteen part-time), and the Killions had spent most of their lives working there. Billy had started working at the Sizzler in 1986 as a dishwasher, and Laura in 1987 as a salad bar attendant. They started dating and were married a year later, then bought the restaurant for themselves in 1997. Most of their employees have been with the restaurant for many years, some since the very beginning.

Billy contacted Jeff Merkley for help with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The restaurant had gone through some very tough economic times from 2003 to 2005 and had built up a sizeable tax liability. They acknowledged the debt, but during those lean years, they had no choice but to delay paying some taxes – the only other option would’ve been to close the business. They were now prepared to pay the typical penalties and interest charges. Additionally, they had an offer for additional financing from a private real estate investor; they just needed the IRS to issue an official "offer in compromise" with the specific payoff amount. However, the IRS was unreasonably delaying action, despite the Killions extensive efforts to fulfill repeated and burdensome information requests from the IRS. The situation had been dragging on for a couple years, and the restaurant was approaching dangerously close to bankruptcy. Without that investment, the restaurant might have gone under, and the only thing standing in the way was the IRS.

Jeff’s staff jumped on the case and cut through the red tape, helping the Killions and their tax attorney deliver all of the final pieces of information to the IRS. Next, they convinced the IRS to expedite preparation of the "offer in compromise." That offer was fully established and accepted about a month later.

Since then, the business has flourished. In August of 2012, they even dropped the franchise and re-opened the restaurant under their own name -- Killion’s Beef, Reef, and Buffet (currently at 4 stars on Yelp!). This is an excellent example of Senator Merkley’s commitment to supporting local business owners and helping cut through red tape.

In November 2011, Alta Lynch, a longtime volunteer for veteran causes in Columbia County, chatted with Jeff Merkley’s staff at a Veteran’s Day event at McCormick Park in St. Helens, pointed up to the tattered U.S. Flag flying over the veterans’ memorial and asked if Jeff could provide the park a new flag.

Four months later, in February 2012, Jeff arrived at the veterans’ memorial to deliver the new flag to Lynch and city leaders and thank Columbia County leaders and volunteers for their work serving veterans. The new flag once flew over the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Jeff spoke at the flag-raising ceremony with about 45 community members in attendance, emphasizing the importance of helping veterans and thanking attendees for their service and sacrifice. Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in St. Helens, VFW in Scappoose, American Legion in St. Helens and the St. Helens Garden Club all attended the event.

After touring the wharf in the Port of Garibaldi with Port Manager Kevin Greenwood, it was clear to Jeff that the community needed help to rebuild the wharf and get the economy in Garibaldi running. Aging and damaged wharf infrastructure prevented businesses interested in locating in Garibaldi from bringing jobs to the community. Jeff was pleased to support the Port of Garibaldi’s request for a TIGER grant and an Economic Development Agency (EDA) grant.

With Jeff's support the Port of Garibaldi was awarded both grants and able to start rebuilding their economy. As one of only four projects in the Northwest to receive funding under the TIGER V grant program, the Garibaldi wharf rebuild project combines local, state and federal resources to provide critical infrastructure to a rural, coastal community. The short-term and long-term jobs created from this project are an economic development boost for Garibaldi. Funds utilized to rebuild the wharf will allow for new business to operate, improve the safety of pedestrian traffic and grow the economy in Garibaldi.

When the U.S. Forest Service considered ending a legacy campground’s private operations permit, Clark Jackson and over thirty members of North Santiam Sportsmans Club contacted the office of Jeff Merkley seeking assistance to keep the campground open. They shared stories of generations of families coming to this camping spot to enjoy recreation in the Detroit Lake area for the last 50 years. Families had spent countless hours making improvements to the area and thousands of dollars in contributions to the local economy.

Over months of negotiations, Jeff's staff helped to facilitate an amicable agreement that allowed the campground to continue while opening more opportunities for public use. Staff met with leaders of the Sportsman’s Club, visited the camp, wrote letters to the district ranger, and attended meetings between the two parties to keep the permit application moving forward. This is an example of Jeff's staff working with Oregonians and the federal government to solve a problem and find a solution that benefits everyone.

In late 2012, Jeff Merkley learned that the Central Oregon Housing Authority (Housing Works) had mistakenly used erroneous data that was provided to them by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to respond to a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the federal Family Self Sufficiency Program. As a result of using this bad data, Housing Works lost funding for two caseworkers and had to reduce their assistance to approximately 70 households in Central Oregon. This exact situation happened to similar agencies in Linn and Benton Counties, Northeast Oregon, Marion County and Yamhill County.

When Jeff heard from Housing Works Housing and Resident Director Kenny LaPoint about local agencies being punished by bad data from the federal government, he stepped up to help. Jeff sent a letter to HUD asking them to fix the erroneous data and allow the local agencies to reapply for the funding using the correct data. HUD promptly responded and allowed the affected housing agencies to reapply. In the end, Housing Works was funded for the three caseworkers that they had before and was able to serve 129 families in Central Oregon with the funding.

Organization like Housing Works provide much needed assistance to families across Central Oregon, including helping families learn how to be self-sufficient and transition away from government assistance. Jeff believes that local agencies shouldn’t be penalized for mistakes by the federal government and was happy to help step in and right this wrong. And now, more families in Central Oregon and across the state can get the assistance they deserve.

In 2008, the City of Hood River received grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to upgrade the city’s 100 year old water infrastructure, however, after many round of back and forth between the local USDA office and the national USDA office, the USDA informed the city that portions of the of the project were ineligible for funding and would be revoking the funding. Frustrated by bureaucratic infighting and the loss of funding to help the community replace aging infrastructure, the City of Hood River contacted Jeff Merkley’s office in 2011 for help.

Jeff’s staff provided guidance to the city and helped advocate on their behalf as they successfully appealed the USDA’s determination not once, but twice. In the end, the City of Hood River prevailed, was able to keep the funding and continue upgrading their badly needed water transmission line.

Not only does this demonstrate  Jeff’s commitment to fairness and cutting through bureaucratic red tape when necessary, but it underscores his commitment to making sure that we get Oregonians back to work by upgrading and replacing aging infrastructure across the state.

Read more about the replacement of the Hood River water transmission line here.

Before Jeff Merkley's office got involved, students in Oregon who were diagnosed with a learning disability and earned a modified diploma from high school were unable to apply for federal student aid to help them attend community college, a four-year university or a trade or apprenticeship program. The U.S. Department of Education did not recognize the modified diploma as a valid high school diploma equivalent, and as such, the individuals could not apply for federal student aid.

In Oregon that meant that over 1,700 recent high-school graduates were prevented this way from applying for financial assistance. Monica Dizick, concerned parent of Sara, a high school senior with a learning disability, contacted the office of Jeff Merkley to bring this issue to his attention.

Over the next seven months, his office worked with the Oregon State Legislature, specifically State Representative Sara Gelser, as well as Governor Kitzhaber, and dozens of interested individuals, to garner letters of support in favor of allowing these modified diplomas to meet federal standards and allow students to pursue higher education.

In early April 2014, Representative Gelser and Jeff's staff met with the US Department of Education and learned that the Oregon State Board of Education could make minor tweaks that would allow the federal government to officially recognize these diplomas. State Representative Gelser then worked with the Governor and the State Board of Education on making the necessary changes that would allow the modified diploma to be accepted. The US Department of Education now officially recognizes the modified diploma as a valid high school diploma, and allows all students who have earned or will earn a modified diploma to apply for federal student aid.

This is a huge win for students in Oregon with learning disabilities who now have the opportunity to receive federal student aid to further their education. Jeff strongly believes that no students should be excluded from following their dreams and furthering their education.

In the summer of 2013, Carol Beeston suffered a serious heart attack and -- though doctors had repaired some damage to her heart -- she needed yet another surgery. In September, her doctors asked the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to approve their use of a new medical device that would save Carol’s failing heart.

Carol, her family, and her doctors expected the FDA’s decision within the usual 30-day time frame. A specialist from the University of Washington planned to travel to Portland to assist in the procedure. Meanwhile, Carol’s health continued to deteriorate. When the government shut down in October, Carol’s doctors still had yet to hear from the FDA. Carol’s life was in danger.

As soon as Jeff Merkley heard Carol’s story, he and his staff jumped in to help. Carol’s medical team needed the FDA’s decision by 5pm on Friday, October 18th; otherwise, the medical team would need to postpone Ms. Beeston’s surgery. Jeff’s staff contacted the FDA immediately and made sure a representative picked up Carol’s application and reviewed it that same afternoon. The FDA approved the application, and doctors successfully performed surgery on Carol the following Monday.

This is an exceedingly fortunate outcome. Had the government shutdown lasted even one day longer, Carol’s life would have been seriously jeopardized. The cycle of political brinksmanship carried out by a few extremists in Congress can cause real harm to real Oregonians. Jeff believes we must end the cycle of brinksmanship that has Congress governing from one manufactured crisis to another and get back to the real work of building a country that works for the middle class.

When Jeff Merkley learned that Environ-Metal, an environmentally conscious small business in Sweet Home, Oregon, was in danger of having to halt manufacturing, close its assembly line and plant, and furlough 18 employees due to delays caused by the federal government shutdown, he stepped in to help.

Each year Environ-Metal submits an application to the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) for permission to import materials from overseas, materials used to produce its custom, environmentally friendly shotgun shells. The business always submits its application to BATF well in advance of the deadline to keep plenty of these materials in stock. But when BATF informed Environ-Metal President Ralph Nauman that the application’s renewal would last several months longer than usual due to the government shutdown, Nauman sought Jeff’s help.

As Environ-Metal risked running out of stock of the shotgun shell materials, the senator’s office contacted BATF and asked the bureau either to expedite consideration of Environ-Metal’s application or let its current license continue until the application renewal cleared. The bureau expedited its approval of Environ-Metal’s application, which allowed the small Sweet Home business to stay open for business and protected 18 employees’ jobs during the peak holiday season.

This story shows one more way that Jeff and his staff help small businesses across Oregon navigate bureaucracies and reduce time spent cutting through red tape.

Before Brian Norberg, a professional chef, was struck by a car in 2009, he didn’t know he had brain cancer. A brain scan performed after the collision revealed that he did.

After a series of surgeries that left him with a slew of side effects, he applied for Social Security Disability. After his application was denied twice in a row, he sought the aid of his elected officials, and began an online petition to get assistance.

His search for help ended in May 2013 at the office of Jeff Merkley.

The senator’s office contacted Social Security, which took his application out of the queue for an Administrative Law Judge hearing and returned it to the Disability Determination Services (DDS) in Salem. In less than two months, DDS had reevaluated his application and approved him for benefits.

In December of 2012, Val Valfre, representing the Washington County Housing Authority (WCHA), contacted Jeff Merkley’s office in search of more VASH vouchers, which provide rental assistance for homeless veterans. Washington County had quickly gone through its initial housing vouchers and was seeing a huge increase in the number of homeless veterans who needed help.

Jeff, along with Senator Wyden and Representative Bonamici, sent letters of support to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. On May 1, 2013, Washington County was notified of the approval of 35 additional vouchers. With the help of the Jeff’s advocacy, Washington County received the additional vouchers to aid in homeless veterans finding permanent residence.

These new vouchers mean that 35 homeless veterans will be able to finally get a home that they deserve. Jeff is hearing from veteran groups across the state who are seeing an increase in the number of homeless veterans in Oregon and he believes that it is only right to get our veterans they help they deserve. They stood up for us overseas, and we must stand up for them here at home.

HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs boost number of rent subsidy vouchers for veterans.

A letter of support from Jeff Merkley helped bring grant resources to boost the Mid-Willamette valley and provide Oregon businesses with the tools they need to expand and create manufacturing jobs here in Oregon. In 2013, the Mid-Willamette Council of Governments, Strategic Economic Development Corporation (SEDCOR) and Job Growers, Inc. received a $1.7 million grant for the Marion, Polk, and Yamhill County region through the “Make It In America” Challenge. The funds are supporting business recruitment and expansion aimed at encouraging U.S. companies to keep or expand their operations—and jobs—here at home, and to train workers to meet the needs of those businesses.

Workforce development and training through Job Growers have helped companies such as Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems in Yamhill County and AM Equipment in Marion County hire and train unemployed workers. Local manufacturers are also utilizing technical assistance and outreach programs through the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

In 2012, Jeff embarked on an ongoing tour of Oregon businesses who are manufacturing here in Oregon. His “Made in Oregon” tour has taken him to every corner of the state to see what’s working for Oregon manufacturers and where Oregon companies still need help. His commitment to strengthening Oregon manufacturing and our middle class families is what led Jeff to support the “Make it in America” grant application.

Willamette University had been having serious trouble getting their federal System for Award Management (SAM) number verified with the federal government due to a technical problem on the federal governments end and they were days away from their registration in the system expiring. This deadline would mean that the college would not be able to receive any federal grant funding — all because of a technical glitch with the computer system.

Exasperated, Willamette University called Jeff’s office for help dealing with the red tape at the Defense Logistics Agency who was in charge of the SAM system. Jeff's staff jumped on the case and took the time to call around to finally find the right people to fix the issue and then spent over two and a half hours on the phone with technical support making sure that the problem had been solved.

Taking the time to hunt down the right federal official and spend time on the phone with technical support to make sure the problem is fixed might seem like a small victory, however, for Willamette University this made all the difference between receiving necessary federal funding and being denied funds because of a technical problem.

When Salem’s mayor Anna Peterson learned that the town’s Social Security office would be moving from its easy-to-access downtown location to an industrial area of South Salem with limited public transportation, she voiced her concern to Jeff Merkley.

In response, Jeff himself drove to the South Salem site and agreed that it did not offer enough accessibility for an office that would serve the public. Located on a busy street, this new location lacked a sidewalk, and the closest bus stop sat over a quarter-mile away. As a result, Oregonians seeking help from the Social Security Administration – many of whom are disabled – would have had to walk or wheel themselves to the office on a road with cars passing at 40 miles per hour.

Jeff drafted a letter to the regional Social Security administrator to explain why this new location posed problems for the many residents of Salem who rely on the city’s bus system as their primary source of transportation.

In response, the City of Salem paved a sidewalk (meeting standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act) that links the bus stop to the new office and painted a pedestrian crossing on the road nearby. While Jeff would have preferred to see the office rebuilt in a different location, he is pleased the city took safety measures to ensure that Oregonians who need to access the Social Security Administration can do so safely.

Ms. Jarchow from Northwest Oregon is a widow who was receiving Aid & Attendance benefits from the Veterans Administration (VA) due to blindness. In order to qualify for Section 8 housing assistance, Ms. Jarchow and her family voluntarily cut off her Aid & Assistance benefits. Unfortunately, this plan backfired because due to Ms. Jarchow blindness and wanting to live on her own, she desperately needed this Aid & Attendance income to help her pay for assisted living.

The Clatsop County Veterans Service Officer (VSO) helped Ms. Jarchow restore her Aid & Attendance benefit. He facilitated her application and helped guide it through the VA system where it was eventually approved. However, due to a clerical error on a reporting form, the VA then immediately impounded her benefits due to a suspected overpayment from a simple mistake on a previous application. This mistake caused the VA to believe that Ms. Jarchow owed about $8,000 in overpaid benefits -- rather than being eligible for Aid & Attendance as she should have been.

The Clatsop County VSO attempted to iron things out with the VA, but was unable to do so. In desperation, he contacted Jeff's office. Once Jeff's staff received all documentation he provided, they were able to figure out the original error and some subsequent procedural errors that further compounded the problem by diverting the application to the wrong office in the VA. Jeff's staff was able to untangle the red tape, cut through to the base issues that needed to be addressed and corrected, and relayed all the right requests to the proper VA office. Once that was complete, Jeff’s staff asked the Pension Management Center to expedite the request in order to prevent any additional stress (financial or otherwise) on Ms. Jarchow. The VA agreed to expedite the request, deposited the funds she was owed, and waived the reminder of her debt within a week.