The symbolism really represents to people living in the West Bank and Gaza that there is no path for them to ever have a land of their own, they've been under occupation, it's an extraordinarily difficult life, and we have -- we, the United States -- have championed the vision that there would be a future, a brighter future ahead.

Jeff Merkley

Jeffrey Alan "Jeff" Merkley is the junior United States Senator from Oregon. A member of the Democratic Party, Merkley was a five-term member of the Oregon Legislative Assembly representing House District 47, located in eastern Multnomah County within the Portland city limits. He also served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives. He defeated two-term Republican incumbent Gordon Smith in the 2008 U.S. Senate election and defeated Monica Wehby in the 2014 U.S. Senate election.

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