Ranking Member Merkley: Interior-Environment Funding Bill Boosts Wildfire Resiliency, Water Infrastructure, and Climate Investments in Oregon and Across the Nation

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Jeff Merkley (D-OR) released the following statement after the Senate passed the Interior-Environment Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Appropriations bill in an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 82-15:

"Oregonians turned out in record numbers during my town halls last year and delivered a clear message: Congress must fight back against harmful funding cuts and do everything it can to protect our public lands, waters, and outdoor-driven economy.

"The FY 2026 Interior-Environment funding bill doesn't go as far as I'd hoped, but it takes a solid stride toward taking on wildfire and smoke threats, supporting wildland firefighters, modernizing our water infrastructure, and fulfilling our trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribes. This bill also helps reassert Congress' Power of the Purse in the face of President Trump's authoritarian power grab and illegal funding cuts.

"The bill also rejects dozens of poison pill riders proposed by House Republicans and protects funding for operating and protecting our public lands, making it clear that Congress intends to ensure public lands stay in public hands. I look forward to this bill being signed swiftly into law to ensure communities in Oregon and across the nation have the necessary resources to tackle the greatest problems facing our environment, health, lands, air, and water."

Merkley-as the only Oregon member of Congress to serve on the Appropriations Committee since Senator Mark Hatfield-pushed to include key priorities for Oregon in the Interior-Environment bill. The bipartisan bill was also part of a three-funding package that included FY 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies and Energy and Water Development funding bills, delivering critical federal resources to Oregonians and all Americans.

###