Oregon Speaker of the House Jeff Merkley Town Hall - Monday, April 14 Noon

Start: 04/14/2008 - 12:00pm
End: 04/14/2008 - 1:00pm

Willamette University's Hatfield Library, Hatfield Room (2nd floor) 

Express your concerns to Oregon Speaker of the House and US Senate candidate Rep. Jeff Merkley.   

Jeff Merkley was born in Mytle Creek in Southern Oregon.  The child of a mill worker, he moved from town to town as his father sought work when the timber industry hit hard times. 

Jeff parent's stressed the importance of education; and Jeff became the first person in his family to attend college.  He went to Stanford and then graduate school at Princeton -- all on scholarship. 

In 2006, successfully Jeff Merkley led the Democratic effort to gain control of the Oreogon House after 16 long years of Republican control.  Then with only a one vote margin, Jeff demostrated his legislative skills by passing every item on the Democrat's promised progressive road map.       

As Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley pushed through a ground-breaking law to crack down on predatory lenders who charged outrageous interest rates.   He successfully took on big drug companies by pushing to let more Oregonians join the state drug purchasing pool so that they could buy perscription drugs at more affordable prices.  In addition he crafted a major lobby ethics reform, significant environmental initiatives, landmark funding for Headstart and public schools and finally created a Rainy Day Fund. 

If elected to the US Senate, Jeff pledges to work to end the occupation from the moment he is sworn in and to eliminate permanent US military bases in Iraq.  Come to ask your questions about Iraq and healthcare and other concerns on your mind.