Oregon

Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills

Published

8 months ago

February 21, 2025

Oregon lawmakers introduce legislation to rein in utility bills

SALEM, Ore. (KPTV) – A pair of Oregon lawmakers introduced two state bills on Thursday that they say are intended to rein in utility costs.

Rep. Nathan Sosa (D-Greater Hillsboro) announced HB3179, the “FAIR Energy Act,” and said it’s designed to “lower utility bills by requiring the Public Utility Commission to thoroughly consider the impact on consumers before approving a rate increase.” Rep. Pam Marsh (D-Ashland) introduced HB 3546, the “POWER Act,” and said it aims to hold large energy users “accountable for paying for their own energy needs.” Marsh said this bill would require the Public Utility Commission to “create new policies that help protect Oregon households from paying for high-energy users such as data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities.” Marsh said it will also make “for-profit utilities identify the costs that high-energy users are adding to the system.” Marsh added that “state regulators can prevent Oregonians from covering the cost of these businesses.”

“I have heard repeatedly from my constituents how frustrated they are with the dramatic and repeated increases in their utility bills. The scope of this problem is staggering. Over the past few years, electric and gas rates from investor-owned utilities have gone up by nearly 50%. This is not sustainable,” wrote Marsh in a release Thursday.

“The bill is intended to reform the rate-setting process in various ways to ensure that the interests of Oregon consumers are prioritized. The FAIR Energy Act is designed to prevent residents from continuing to be hit with repeated and historic utility rate increases,” wrote Rep. Sosa.

“Oregon utility customers should not have to bear the costs of enormous demand for power by data centers and other large energy users. HB 3546 requires those users to pay their fair share,” Rep. Marsh added.

The House Committee on Climate, Energy, and Environment will hold a public hearing on HB3546 “in the coming weeks.”

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Oregon

Who is Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley? Why is he giving a marathon Senate speech? What to know.

Published

20 hours ago

October 22, 2025

Press Room

Who is Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley? Why is he giving a marathon Senate speech? What to know.

WASHINGTON – Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley is the latest Democrat to take a protracted stand against President Donald Trump, holding a marathon speech on the Senate floor that has stretched for over 20 hours amid an ongoing federal government shutdown.

Merkley, who took the floor at 6:21 p.m. on Oct. 21, knocked the Trump administration’s policies and actions, which he argued are dragging the country into authoritarianism.

“I don’t believe there’s a single senator here in the United States Senate who wants to see freedom crushed and authoritarian rule established here in the United States of America … Our founders did not want the president to be a king,” he said.

His speech comes as Republicans and Democrats have been unable to strike a funding deal to reopen the government. Democrats have made healthcare the focus of their demands, urging Republicans to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of December.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, went viral earlier this year when he gave the longest-ever speech on the Senate floor, which lasted 25 hours and five minutes. Booker beat the record set by the late South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond, a Democrat-turned-Republican, who gave a speech on the Senate floor lasting 24 hours and 18 minutes for his filibuster against the 1957 Civil Rights Act.

If Merkley continues his talk-a-thon past 7:26 p.m. on Oct. 22, he could officially beat Booker’s record.

Who is Jeff Merkley?

Merkley, 68, was first elected to the Senate in 2008 and has held onto his seat ever since. He is up for reelection in 2026.

Before serving in Congress, Merkley served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1999 to 2009 and was speaker of the House from 2007 to 2009. He previously worked as a national security analyst for the Pentagon and the Congressional Budget Office, executive director of the nonprofit Habitat for Humanity’s Portland chapter and president of the World Affairs Council of Oregon.

He’s a strong proponent of LGBTQ+ rights and expanding healthcare access. In April, he teamed up with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, Booker and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano, D-California, to reintroduce the Equality Act, a bill aimed at prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations and other settings.

He fiercely championed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, a landmark piece of legislation under the Obama administration.

Merkley was the first senator to endorse progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid, writing in a New York Times op-ed at the time that, “As we look toward the next administration, there is far more work to do. We need urgency. We need big ideas. We need to rethink the status quo.”

Contributing: Zach Schermele, USA TODAY

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Oregon

Merkley holds Senate floor to denounce authoritarianism

Published

2 days ago

October 21, 2025

Press Room

Merkley holds Senate floor to denounce authoritarianism

‘I’m speaking on the Senate floor right now to ring the alarm’

Watch Sen. Merkley on the Senate floor in the player above

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley is holding the floor of the Senate to denounce authoritarianism.

In a statement, Merkley said:

“I’m speaking on the Senate floor right now to ring the alarm. From deploying the National Guard in our cities to defying court orders and shutting down the government to attack health care, Trump is testing how far he can go. He’s trying to make Americans accept his total control as the new normal. Over the weekend, more than 7 million Americans joined No Kings protests across the country — a clear message that we refuse to let Donald Trump’s authoritarian takeover go unchecked.”

Merkley intends to hold the floor of the Senate for as long as he can.

KOIN 6 News will have updates on this developing story.

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Oregon

Oregon Lottery Powerball, Pick 4 results for Oct. 20

Published

2 days ago

October 21, 2025

Press Room

The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Oct. 20, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Oct. 20 drawing

32-38-66-67-69, Powerball: 19, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Oct. 20 drawing

1PM: 7-5-0-0

4PM: 0-7-8-8

7PM: 5-6-7-4

10PM: 4-0-7-5

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Win for Life numbers from Oct. 20 drawing

04-18-37-63

Check Win for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Megabucks numbers from Oct. 20 drawing

06-07-31-33-46-48

Check Megabucks payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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