Jeff Merkley is a Democratic US Senator and politician. He was a 5-term legislator in the Oregon Legislative Assembly where he represented the 47th district formerly known as the East Portland before he proceeded to contest for a Senator’s ticket in 2009.
The not so popular Democratic senator has in the past few years pulled noticeable stunts that got the nation’s attention such as the 14 hours filibuster he started during a hearing to vote for Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and his sole endorsement of Bernie Sanders over the Hilary Clinton during the 2016 US Presidential elections.
He has also openly criticized Republican president, Donald Trump‘s behavior and policies, at a time calling him out, as a man with 5-year-old maturity and over boosted ego.
Jeff Merkley’s Biography, Education
Senator Jeffrey Alan Merkley was born on the 24th October 1956, in Myrtle Creek, Oregon to Betty Lou and Darrell Philip Merkley. He grew up in Portland with his family and once spent his summer in Ghana for studies purposes. He had his 1st-grade education in Roseburg, Oregon before he proceeded to David Douglas High School, Portland to further his education.
After Jeff’s graduation from high school, he went ahead to get a degree in International Studies from Stanford University in 1979, becoming the first person to accomplish this feat in his family. He also earned a master degree in Public Policy Making, from Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University in 1982 and later got selected as a Presidential Management Fellow where he was elected to work in the Office of the Secretary of Defense on Security and Military Technology.
He served in the Congressional Budget Office before he resigned and returned to Portland, where he took up another appointment, as Executive Director of Portland Habitat for Humanity till 1994.
His accomplishments in Office include; the Walk for Humanity, Development of Habitat Home Building Center, where he pioneered the YouthBuild project among others. He was again appointed as the Director of Housing Development at Human Solutions, where he helped low-income earners save up to buy affordable houses and live out their dreams.
Jeff Merkley equally served in other capacities like; President of World Affairs Council of Oregon, a position he held for 7 straight years and he still serves on the Board of Trustees of the World Affairs Council of Oregon.
The Democratic US senator has served in various Committees such as; Committee on Appropriations, Department of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education, and Related Agencies, among others and he also sponsored 5 bills primarily, while co-sponsoring 44 others, some of which were eventually passed into law such as the Rural Homes Acts June 2018, and Equality Acts of May 2017.
Family
The amiable outspoken Senator parents names are Betty Lou and Darrell Philip Merkley and he had one sister whom he grew up with. His mother was a homemaker while the dad worked as a repairer of equipment in a local lumber mill before working in a construction firm. It is said that his paternal grandparents w born in Queensland, Australia.
Senator Merkley is happily married to the beautiful, supportive Mary Sorteberg, a nurse, and their marriage has lasted up to 2 decades. Their union is also blessed with 2 kids; Jonathan and Brynne.
Other Interesting Facts About Jeff Merkley
1. His cousin, Rebecka Ann Carnes, was among the 9 slain in the Umpqua Community College Shooting in October 2015, by Chris Harper-Mercer.
2. Jeff Merkley was one-time student body president of his high school – David Douglas High School.
3. He was elected to represent the East Portland, also known as the 47th District in 1998 and then he was made the Speaker of the Oregon House of Representative in 2006.
4. It is reported that Jeff Merkley is the first person in his family to progress further into studying at a University. He studied under a scholarship offer from Stanford University for his first degree.
5. During the Democratic primaries for the 2016 US presidential elections, Jeff made a point to support Bernie Sanders – a choice which was parallel to the choice (Hilary Clinton) of the other sitting Democratic senators.
6. Jeffery Merkley is a strong voice in the Senate that spoke for Energy Independence, and Sexual Orientation Discrimination in the Workplace. He is widely noted to have thrown his full weight on Campaign Finance and Filibuster reforms respectively.
7. During the Senate Account disclosure in 2009, it was said that Jeff Merkley was worth $1.6 million This sum is expected to have risen significantly at this time, however, the current figures for his net worth is not available. One thing is clear that he earns a comfortable sum as a sitting senator and intends to retain his seat in the next US general elections.