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Portrait of Jeff MerkleyPhoto: unitedstates.github.io

OR · Officeholder

Jeff Merkley

DU.S. Senator · Oregon

On the ballot Nov 3, 2026: U.S. Senate · Oregon

Biography

Jeff Merkley is the Democratic and Working Families Party nominee for re-election to the U.S. Senate from Oregon, where he has served since January 2009. A Stanford and Princeton graduate who worked on defense policy and then in affordable housing, he served in the Oregon House from 1999 to 2009, the last two years as Speaker. His Senate office says he is focused on health care, housing, education and good-paying jobs.[1][2]

Merkley was born in Myrtle Creek, Oregon, where his father worked as a millwright; according to his Senate office, the family later moved to Roseburg and then to East Multnomah County, where he graduated from David Douglas High School. In 1979 he became the first person in his family to graduate from college, earning a bachelor's degree in international relations from Stanford University, and he later earned a Master of Public Affairs from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School in 1982.[2][1][3] After an internship in the office of Sen. Mark Hatfield, he worked in Washington, D.C., on nuclear disarmament and military spending, including as a Presidential Management Fellow at the Office of the Secretary of Defense and as an analyst at the Congressional Budget Office.[2][3] He then returned to Oregon, volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, served as executive director of Portland Area Habitat until 1994 and afterward developed affordable housing for the nonprofit Human Solutions.[1][3]

Merkley ran for the state legislature in 1998 and was elected to represent the East Multnomah County neighborhood where he grew up, serving in the Oregon House from 1999 until his election to the Senate in 2008. He was elected House Democratic leader after the 2003 session and Speaker in 2007.[1][2][3] In 2008 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, defeating incumbent Gordon Smith; he holds the seat once held by Hatfield and won re-election in 2014 and 2020.[1][2][3]

Merkley sits on the Appropriations, Environment and Public Works, Budget, Rules and Foreign Relations committees, chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies and an Environment and Public Works subcommittee, and co-chairs the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.[2] According to his Senate office, he holds a town hall in each of Oregon's 36 counties every year. He and his wife, Mary Sorteberg, have two children and live in East Portland.[2]

  1. 1.Jeff Merkley · Ballotpedia Reference
  2. 2.About Jeff · Office of Sen. Jeff Merkley Official record
  3. 3.Jeff Merkley · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.

On the ballot

Full candidate research ›U.S. Senate · Oregon ›

Also on the ballot for this seat

Chris HenryCandidatePacific Green PartyProgressive PartyU.S. Senate · OregonOregonDavid Brock SmithCandidateRU.S. Senate · OregonOregonGary DyeCandidateLIBU.S. Senate · OregonOregon

Votes by issue

Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned

Where they stood out

Voted against most of their party on 4 of 834 party-divided votes on file.

  • Paul Amdt. No. 6715; To strike the provision relating to duties on countries that purchase Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas or facilitate sanctions evasion.

    A yes vote would have adopted Amendment 6715, which would strike the provision on duties on countries that buy Russian-origin crude oil or natural gas or facilitate sanctions evasion. (AI-written)

    What it does: Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 This bill imposes a variety of sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions related to Russia, extends an Iran-related sanctions law, and expands a tax deduction for t…

    Voted no · most Democrats voted yes · Democrats 29–15, Republicans 2–48

    Aug 7, 2026Official record ↗

  • Confirmation: Douglas Weaver, of Maryland, to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

    What it does: Confirms Douglas Weaver as a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

    Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 17–28, Republicans 51–0

    Dec 17, 2025Official record ↗

  • Scott (FL) Amdt. No. 3535; To require Presidential appointment and Senate confirmation of the Inspector General of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

    A yes vote adopted Scott (FL) Amendment 3535 to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would require presidential appointment and Senate confirmation of the Inspector General for the Federal Reserve Board and CFPB (60 votes needed). (AI-written)

    What it does: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 This bill sets forth policies and authorities for FY2026 for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, military construction, and the national securit…

    Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 8–36, Republicans 42–6

    Oct 9, 2025Official record ↗

  • Motion to Invoke Cloture: Douglas Weaver to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission

    A yes vote ended debate on the nomination of Douglas Weaver to be a Member of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, allowing the Senate to move to a final confirmation vote. (AI-written)

    Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 17–26, Republicans 49–0

    Dec 17, 2025Official record ↗

How this is counted

Their votes on the most contested roll calls

The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank

See all their split votes

Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.

PN1129 · U.S. SENATE

Confirmation: Keith Sonderling, of F.L., to be Secretary of Labor

NoVOTED

Motion: On the Nomination

Confirms Keith Sonderling as Secretary of Labor.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Confirmed 47–41·Substantive·Sep 30, 2026Roll call ↗
PN1129 · U.S. SENATE

Motion to Invoke Cloture: Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor

NoVOTED

Motion: On the Cloture Motion

A yes vote ended debate (cloture) so the Senate could move to a final vote on the nomination of Keith Sonderling to be Secretary of Labor. (AI-written)

Agreed to 53–47·Procedural·Sep 30, 2026Roll call ↗
H.R. 9340 · U.S. SENATE

Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 9340; A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a Federal standard relating to the recovery of the full, incremental costs of upgrades that serve large-load customers, and for other purposes.

NoVOTED

Motion: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed

A yes vote would have ended debate on whether the Senate should begin considering H.R. 9340, a bill setting a federal standard on recovering the costs of upgrades serving large-load electricity customers (cloture on the motion to proceed). (AI-written)

Ratepayer Protection Act The bill requires state utility regulators and nonregulated utilities to consider implementing a standard to hold certain large-load customers responsible for the costs associated with any generation, transmission, or distribution upgrade of electric service necessary to serve such customers.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Rejected 57–43·Procedural·Sep 30, 2026Roll call ↗
H.R. 7008 · U.S. SENATE

Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed: H.R. 7008; A bill to amend chapter 131 of title 5 to require certain restrictions on stocks for Members of Congress and their spouses and dependents, and for other purposes.

NoVOTED

Motion: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed

A yes vote would have ended debate on whether the Senate should begin considering H.R. 7008, a bill requiring certain restrictions on stocks held by Members of Congress and their spouses and dependents (cloture on the motion to proceed). (AI-written)

Stop Insider Trading Act This bill generally prohibits Members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children from purchasing stocks and requires public notice before these individuals may sell stocks.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Rejected 53–47·Procedural·Sep 30, 2026Roll call ↗
S.Res. 852 · U.S. SENATE

Motion to Discharge S. Res. 852; A resolution requesting information on Israel's human rights practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.

YesVOTED

Motion: On the Motion to Discharge

A yes vote would have discharged S.Res. 852, requesting information on Israel's human rights practices under section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act, from committee so the Senate could consider it. (AI-written)

As introduced, requests that the Secretary of State give Congress, within 30 days, a statement on Israel's human rights practices, including information on alleged killings of U.S. citizens by Israeli forces or settlers since 2022, Americans held in Israeli prisons and detained Palestinian children.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Rejected 47–51·Procedural·Sep 29, 2026Roll call ↗
S.J.Res. 197 · U.S. SENATE

Motion to Proceed to S.J. Res. 197; A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the Department of Health and Human Services relating to "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2027; and Basic Health Program".

YesVOTED

Motion: On the Motion to Proceed

A yes vote would have moved the Senate to take up S.J.Res. 197, a resolution to disapprove the CMS rule on the 2027 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters and the Basic Health Program. (AI-written)

Overturns the federal health agency's 2027 rule setting payment parameters and standards for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, including insurer user fees, broker rules, hardship exemptions and catastrophic-plan options, so the rule has no legal effect.

AI summary — read the bill text ↗
Rejected 48–51·Procedural·Sep 29, 2026Roll call ↗
S. 4668 · U.S. SENATE

S. 4668, as amended; A bill to protect the name, image, and likeness rights of, and provide protections for, student athletes and to promote fair competition among intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes.

NoVOTED

Motion: On Passage of the Bill

Protect College Sports Act of 2026 This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights.

Official summary — read the bill text ↗
Passed 77–22·Substantive·Sep 28, 2026Roll call ↗
S. 4668 · U.S. SENATE

Booker Amdt. No. 6835; To establish certain standards with respect to coaches of varsity sports teams.

YesVOTED

Motion: On the Amendment S.Amdt. 6835

A yes vote would have adopted Amendment 6835, which would establish certain standards for coaches of varsity sports teams. (AI-written)

Amendment purpose (official): To establish certain standards with respect to coaches of varsity sports teams.

Bill summary: Protect College Sports Act of 2026 This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Rejected 47–52·Substantive·Sep 28, 2026Roll call ↗
S. 4668 · U.S. SENATE

Booker Amdt. No. 6805; To increase the limitation on funding for post-eligibility insurance and catastrophic injury for student athletes.

YesVOTED

Motion: On the Amendment S.Amdt. 6805

A yes vote would have adopted Amendment 6805, which would increase the limit on funding for post-eligibility insurance and catastrophic injury coverage for student athletes. (AI-written)

Amendment purpose (official): To increase the limitation on funding for post-eligibility insurance and catastrophic injury for student athletes.

Bill summary: Protect College Sports Act of 2026 This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Rejected 49–50·Substantive·Sep 28, 2026Roll call ↗
S. 4668 · U.S. SENATE

Kennedy Amdt. No. 6760; To limit price increases for college athletics tickets.

YesVOTED

Motion: On the Amendment S.Amdt. 6760

A yes vote would have adopted Amendment 6760, which would limit price increases for college athletics tickets. (AI-written)

Amendment purpose (official): To limit price increases for college athletics tickets.

Bill summary: Protect College Sports Act of 2026 This bill establishes requirements for name, image, or likeness (NIL) agreements for college student athletes and provides a limited antitrust exemption for schools and conferences to pool and sell certain college sports media rights.

Latest official summary of the bill (as amended) — read the bill text ↗
Rejected 42–54·Substantive·Sep 28, 2026Roll call ↗

Showing 10 of 911 votes in this collection. Coverage may be incomplete; each entry links to the official record.