Washington, D.C.--Today, Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) introduced the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act, with Reps. Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), Val Hoyle (D-OR), Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA), and Ryan Zinke (R-MT). First enacted in 2000, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS) provides funding for schools, roads, and essential services in counties with significant amounts of tax-exempt federal land.
“For rural counties, including those in my own district, Secure Rural Schools funding is essential. This program ensures that schools stay open, roads are maintained, and emergency services are available, even when federal timber revenues fall short,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “In 2024 alone, California received $33.7 million through this program—funding that helps keep classrooms running and supports vital services like public safety and infrastructure. These funds replace the lost timber tax receipts that local governments once relied on. Without this funding, rural areas would struggle to provide even the most basic services. This bill ensures these counties have the resources they need for now, but we should be working to restore the timber industry so that these areas can actually provide revenue instead of relying on stopgap programs like SRS.”
“The Secure Rural Schools program is a vital lifeline for folks in our rural and mountain communities. It unlocks funding for students and schools, wildfire mitigation initiatives, emergency search and rescue services, road maintenance, and more,” said Rep. Joe Neguse. “I’m proud to co-lead this critical bill and will continue to advocate for the needs of folks across Colorado’s Western Slope.”
“Without reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools Program, many local education agencies may miss future payments, through no fault of their own,” said Rep. Thompson. “This bipartisan coalition of members representing forested counties across the country shows the real appetite to get this done as soon as possible.”
“The Secure Rural Schools program has provided critical revenue for schools, public safety, wildfire mitigation, and road maintenance for rural communities in my district for decades. It’s essential this program continues, and I am proud to join in reintroducing this legislation,” said Rep. Hoyle. “We should not leave Southwest Oregon’s communities without this lifeline."
“The Secure Rural Schools program provides essential funding to Oregon counties that are dependent upon Federal forests—ensuring their ability to provide critical services. These services include infrastructure maintenance, wildfire mitigation, conservation projects, search and rescue operations, fire prevention initiatives, and, most importantly money for children’s education,”said Rep. Bentz. “This funding will support classrooms, expand opportunities for outdoor education, help retain and hire teachers, and equip students with hands-on learning resources. Without it, schools and communities will not be able to maintain these critical programs.”
“In rural communities like mine, blows to our timber economy have resulted in a loss of jobs, wealth, and people – but our Zip Code shouldn’t affect access to education for those who stay and hold the line out of love for their land, neighbors, and heritage. Across rural Southwest Washington, funding for public services is tied to our natural resources, and the Secure Rural Schools program has allowed us to address budget shortfalls as we have historically been prevented from generating timber revenue ourselves,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “While Washington, D.C. experiences an atrophy of awareness of what it’s like to live in rural America, this vital program is now running behind schedule. Our rural schools and counties have already faced decades of painful cuts to the basics, consolidating schools and considering four-day school weeks. Failing to reauthorize SRS would result in devastating losses of jobs, schools, and trades programs and hinder basic maintenance on our aging schools and roads. These impacts would be most acute in communities with large amounts of federal land, like Skamania County. I refuse to let federal inaction undermine rural opportunities for our kids – so I’ll continue to build bipartisan support for this critical legislation.”
“The Secure Rural Schools Act is essential legislation for communities across Montana,” said Rep. Zinke. “The funds from this program go directly to schools and roads in counties that have revenue cut off by federal land holdings, logging communities in forested areas are especially affected. Let’s get this across the finish line and get money into the hands of people that need it.”
Since its enactment, SRS has provided $7 billion in payments to more than 700 counties and 4,400 school districts across 40 states. However, Congress has allowed SRS authorization to lapse, creating uncertainty for rural counties as they budget for essential services.
The Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act would reauthorize SRS payments through FY2026, ensuring continued support for rural counties that rely on this funding. Without reauthorization, these critical payments will expire, leaving many counties struggling to fund schools, road maintenance, and emergency services.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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“For rural counties, including those in my own district, Secure Rural Schools funding is essential. This program ensures that schools stay open, roads are maintained, and emergency services are available, even when federal timber revenues fall short,” said Rep. LaMalfa. “In 2024 alone, California received $33.7 million through this program—funding that helps keep classrooms running and supports vital services like public safety and infrastructure. These funds replace the lost timber tax receipts that local governments once relied on. Without this funding, rural areas would struggle to provide even the most basic services. This bill ensures these counties have the resources they need for now, but we should be working to restore the timber industry so that these areas can actually provide revenue instead of relying on stopgap programs like SRS.”
“The Secure Rural Schools program is a vital lifeline for folks in our rural and mountain communities. It unlocks funding for students and schools, wildfire mitigation initiatives, emergency search and rescue services, road maintenance, and more,” said Rep. Joe Neguse. “I’m proud to co-lead this critical bill and will continue to advocate for the needs of folks across Colorado’s Western Slope.”
“Without reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools Program, many local education agencies may miss future payments, through no fault of their own,” said Rep. Thompson. “This bipartisan coalition of members representing forested counties across the country shows the real appetite to get this done as soon as possible.”
“The Secure Rural Schools program has provided critical revenue for schools, public safety, wildfire mitigation, and road maintenance for rural communities in my district for decades. It’s essential this program continues, and I am proud to join in reintroducing this legislation,” said Rep. Hoyle. “We should not leave Southwest Oregon’s communities without this lifeline."
“The Secure Rural Schools program provides essential funding to Oregon counties that are dependent upon Federal forests—ensuring their ability to provide critical services. These services include infrastructure maintenance, wildfire mitigation, conservation projects, search and rescue operations, fire prevention initiatives, and, most importantly money for children’s education,”said Rep. Bentz. “This funding will support classrooms, expand opportunities for outdoor education, help retain and hire teachers, and equip students with hands-on learning resources. Without it, schools and communities will not be able to maintain these critical programs.”
“In rural communities like mine, blows to our timber economy have resulted in a loss of jobs, wealth, and people – but our Zip Code shouldn’t affect access to education for those who stay and hold the line out of love for their land, neighbors, and heritage. Across rural Southwest Washington, funding for public services is tied to our natural resources, and the Secure Rural Schools program has allowed us to address budget shortfalls as we have historically been prevented from generating timber revenue ourselves,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “While Washington, D.C. experiences an atrophy of awareness of what it’s like to live in rural America, this vital program is now running behind schedule. Our rural schools and counties have already faced decades of painful cuts to the basics, consolidating schools and considering four-day school weeks. Failing to reauthorize SRS would result in devastating losses of jobs, schools, and trades programs and hinder basic maintenance on our aging schools and roads. These impacts would be most acute in communities with large amounts of federal land, like Skamania County. I refuse to let federal inaction undermine rural opportunities for our kids – so I’ll continue to build bipartisan support for this critical legislation.”
“The Secure Rural Schools Act is essential legislation for communities across Montana,” said Rep. Zinke. “The funds from this program go directly to schools and roads in counties that have revenue cut off by federal land holdings, logging communities in forested areas are especially affected. Let’s get this across the finish line and get money into the hands of people that need it.”
Since its enactment, SRS has provided $7 billion in payments to more than 700 counties and 4,400 school districts across 40 states. However, Congress has allowed SRS authorization to lapse, creating uncertainty for rural counties as they budget for essential services.
The Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act would reauthorize SRS payments through FY2026, ensuring continued support for rural counties that rely on this funding. Without reauthorization, these critical payments will expire, leaving many counties struggling to fund schools, road maintenance, and emergency services.
Congressman Doug LaMalfa is Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus and a lifelong farmer representing California’s First Congressional District, including Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
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