Jeff Merkley

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Jeff Merkley
Jeff Merkley
Member of the Oregon House of
Representatives from the 47th District
Incumbent
Assumed office 
1999
Constituency Multnomah County
Incumbent
Assumed office 
2007
Preceded by Karen Minnis
Born October 24, 1956 (1956-10-24) (age 51)
Myrtle Creek, Oregon
Political party Democratic
Spouse Mary Sorteberg
Residence Portland, Oregon
Alma mater Stanford University
Princeton University
Profession Budget and Policy Analyst, Congressional Budget Office
Religion Christian

Jeffrey Alan Merkley (born October 24, 1956) is the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. Merkley, a Democrat, represents House District 47, located in eastern Multnomah County within the Portland city limits. He is the Democratic candidate for United States Senate opposing Gordon Smith in the 2008 election.

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[edit] Early life and career

Merkley was born in Myrtle Creek, Oregon and attended first grade in Roseburg before moving to Portland with his family.[1] He graduated from David Douglas High School, obtained a bachelor of arts degree in International Relations from Stanford University in 1979, and earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University in 1982.[2][3]

Following the completion of his masters in 1982, Merkley was selected as a Presidential Management Fellow, where he worked at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, focusing on the issues surrounding the security of American military technology. At the completion of his fellowship, he worked in the Congressional Budget Office, analyzing nuclear weapons policies and programs.[4]

Merkley returned to Portland in 1991 to serve as executive director of Portland Habitat for Humanity.[5] He also started the Walk for Humanity, launched development of the Habitat Home Building Center, and initiated a pilot project for “YouthBuild” in which gang-affected youth learn construction and life skills while building homes in their own neighborhoods.[citation needed] He served as Director of Housing Development at Human Solutions, where he worked to make available affordable housing complexes[6] and launching Oregon’s first Individual Development Account (IDA) program that helps low-income families save money to buy homes, attend college, or start businesses.[7] Jeff Merkley was President of the World Affairs Council of Oregon[8] for seven years and continues to serve on the Board of Trustees.[citation needed]

[edit] Political career

In 1998, Merkley was elected as a Democrat to the Oregon House of Representatives to represent his east Portland district (currently District 47). He succeeded Frank Shields, who moved from the House to the Oregon State Senate due to term limits.[9] In its endorsement, The Oregonian predicted that Merkley was the most likely of several Democrats to "accomplish something positive in the Legislature."[8] Following the 2003 session, he was elected Democratic leader, and after Democrats gained a majority in the Oregon House in the 2006 Oregon statewide elections, he was chosen (in a unanimous vote of the 31 incoming Democrats) to serve as Speaker in the next legislative session.[2]

In Merkley's tenure as Speaker, the Oregon House passed several key reforms: it created a state "rainy day fund" (a savings account to protect public schools against an unstable economy); increased funding in Oregon public schools by 14% ($1 billion) and by 18% ($1.4 billion) in state universities; banned junk food in schools (effective 2009); expanded the Oregon indoor smoking ban; revised the Oregon Bottle Bill; outlawed discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and in the workplace; and provided same-sex couples with state granted rights, immunities, and benefits.[10]

[edit] Run for U.S. Senate

Main article: United States Senate election in Oregon, 2008

Merkley won the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican Gordon Smith for United States Senate in 2008, narrowly defeating activist Steve Novick and four others in the Democratic primary.[11] As of December 2007, Senator Smith had a favorable rating of 40%, with a 20% unfavorable rating.[12]

On August 13, 2007 Merkley received the endorsements of Democratic Governor Ted Kulongoski and former Democratic Governor Barbara Roberts.[13] He was endorsed in December 2007 by the Oregon AFL-CIO, the state's largest union. The union's leaders cited Merkley's 97% record of voting with the interests of working families, and his electability in a general election against Smith.[14]

[edit] Political positions

[edit] Iraq war

In 2003, Merkley voted for Oregon House Resolution 2 (full text), which resolved:[15]

“ [we] (1) Acknowledge the courage of President George W. Bush, the President's cabinet and the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States, and express our support for the victorious removal of Saddam Hussein from power; and

(2) Praise the courage, dedication, professionalism and sacrifices of the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States and their families in the defense of freedom.

 ”

Merkley has explained he voted for the resolution to support the troops in combat, but that he opposed the war.[16] Following the vote, he stated on the House floor:[17]

“ Colleagues, I have not been and am not today persuaded that Iraq was a significant threat to the United States or that the war we fight today is the best strategy to fight terrorism or the wisest application of our superpower resources. But that is a conversation or a debate for another day.

Today I rise to praise our young men and women serving our nation at great personal risk. Today we are not Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal; we are Americans concerned about the safety and support of our troops.

 ”

In 2007, Merkley co-sponsored House Joint Memorial 9, which called on Congress to withhold funding for the surge in Iraq. HJM9 called on Congress to pass legislation that would limit the President spending taxpayer dollars on the surge. HJM9 called on President Bush and Congress to pass legislation to begin withdrawing Armed Forces from Iraq and redeploying those forces, and begin handing over security duties to the Iraqi Government.[18] [19]

Merkley supports the Reid-Feingold Amendment, a plan for redeploying troops from Iraq,[20] and has his own five-point plan for stability in Iraq:[20]

  • Removing all combat troops starting right away and completing the redeployment in six to 12 months
  • Eliminating permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq
  • Engaging Iraq’s neighbors in a diplomatic effort to secure the peace– particularly Turkey, Iran and Syria
  • Removing all American contractors from the country and replacing them with Iraqi contractors, and
  • Directing our attention toward stronger engagement with the Iraqi Parliament and Courts

[edit] Impeachment of Alberto Gonzales

On August 20, 2007, Merkley called for the impeachment of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.[21]

[edit] Personal

Merkley and his wife, Mary Sorteberg, have two children, Jonathan and Brynne.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Sowell, John. "Morgan, Hanna will remain on Ways & Means Committee", The News-Review (Roseburg), December 19, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-07-26. 
  2. ^ a b Har, Janie. "With long hours and teamwork, the brainy guy can win the day", The Oregonian, November 13, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-02-23. 
  3. ^ Representative Jeff Merkley. New Jersey Citizen Action. Retrieved on 2007-07-26.
  4. ^ Jeff Merkley for Oregon. Meet Jeff Merkley. jeffmerkley.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
  5. ^ McNichol, Bethayne. "First 'Adopt-a-Home' gets joyous sendoff", The Oregonian, November 7, 1993. 
  6. ^ Spicer, Oskar. "Housing advocates fear budget cuts doom low-income projects", The Oregonian, November 3, 1995. 
  7. ^ Nkrumah, Wade. "Whose fund for housing should it be?", The Oregonian, December 28, 1995. 
  8. ^ a b "Nominate Merkley, Hansen", The Oregonian, April 13, 1998. Retrieved on 2008-01-29. 
  9. ^ Stern, Henry. "Term limits spur candidacy musical chairs", The Oregonian, February 25, 1998. 
  10. ^ Staff, Oregonian (June 27, 2007). Major Actions by 2007 Oregon Legislature. OregonLive.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  11. ^ Walsh, Edward. "Merkley scores chance to take on Smith", The Oregonian, 2008-05-21. Retrieved on 2008-05-21. 
  12. ^ Eastern Oregonian (December 6, 2007). Democrats Protest Smith. EOnow.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  13. ^ Kulongoski, Roberts to Co-Chair Merkley for Senate Campaign - Jeff Merkley for U.S. Senate, Oregon
  14. ^ Steves, David. "Rep. Merkley gets backing of AFL-CIO", The Register-Guard, December 12, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-01-24. 
  15. ^ Full text of House Resolution 2 (as enrolled). 72nd Oregon Legislative Assembly. Oregon State Legislature (March 21, 2003). Retrieved on 2008-01-30.
  16. ^ Cain, Brad. "Oregon Senate candidate defends vote on Iraq war", Seattle Times, August 27, 2007. Retrieved on 2008-02-26. 
  17. ^ Jeff Merkley, floor speech, audio (March 21, 2003). Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
  18. ^ Oregon State Legislature (March 13, 2007). Urges President of United States not to increase numbers of troops in Iraq. leg.state.or.us. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
  19. ^ PDX Peace (March 20, 2007). AP: Oregon House backs troops withdrawal resolution. pdxpeace.org. Retrieved on 2008-01-27.
  20. ^ a b Jeff Merkley for Oregon (November 13, 2007). Ending the Iraq War. JeffMerkley.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-23.
  21. ^ Merkley calls for impeachment of Alberto Gonzales. BlueOregon (August 20, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-08-22.

[edit] External links