Wyden, Merkley push oversight to reclaim Congress’s 'power of the purse' and defend vote‑by‑mail

Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley told constituents that restoring Congress’s authority over federal spending is central to checking executive power and protecting democratic institutions.

Merkley described repeated amendments he has offered to ban a practice he called a ‘‘pocket rescission,’’ in which programs can be effectively ended without an affirmative vote of Congress, and tied that concern to a recent Supreme Court ruling. He said, "the law says that any program, in order for it to be undone, it has to be an affirmative vote of the House and affirmative vote of the Senate," and that court action had created what he called a ‘‘real problem.’’ Wyden added that the Senate will need bipartisan cooperation to restore the power of the purse.

On elections, both senators criticized the SAVE Act and other efforts they said would weaken vote‑by‑mail and make registration harder for women, students and other groups. Merkley described provisions that would require a copy of ID with mailed ballots and said the broader effort is aimed at ‘‘rigging the next election.’’ Wyden credited Oregon officials for resisting federal data requests and said grassroots activism will be needed to protect voting access.

Why it matters: The senators framed spending authority and voting rules as core checks on executive power. They urged constituents to pursue grassroots engagement and legislative advocacy to defend voting access and ensure accountability over federal funds.

Next steps: The senators said they will continue to press legislation and floor actions to address pocket rescission, fund oversight investigations, and oppose the SAVE Act. No specific statutory text from Wyden or Merkley was introduced at the town hall and they did not provide bill numbers for proposed remedies.