Jeff Merkley

U.S. Senator (D-OR), Ranking Member, Senate Budget Committee

Appears in 1 story

Office: United States senator

Born: October 24, 1956, Myrtle Creek

Party: Democratic Party

Education: Stanford University, Princeton University, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs

Previous offices: member of the Oregon House of Representatives

Last updated Nov 2, 2026

Election night

Jeff Merkley won: U.S. Senate, Oregon.

Against David Brock Smith (R) · Cook rating: Solid D

See the race

Stories

Troops in American cities

Force in Play

As of May 2026: Led investigation into deployment costs

The last time a president invoked the Insurrection Act to deploy federal troops in American cities was 1992, during the Los Angeles riots. President Trump has deployed over 10,000 National Guard troops and active-duty Marines to six cities since June 2025—without invoking that law. The Congressional Budget Office now reports the seven-month operation cost taxpayers $496 million, with ongoing deployments projected to add $93 million monthly.

Updated May 23