McMorris Rodgers introduces bipartisan bill to reauthorize Secure Rural Schools program

U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) on May 30 cosponsored bipartisan legislation to reauthorize for another year the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, which is a primary source of funding for schools, mountain search and rescue, road maintenance and other vital services.

“This legislation will extend this program through Fiscal Year 2020 so that our rural communities can continue to fund important infrastructure projects, public education, law enforcement, and other essential services,” Rep. McMorris Rodgers said on May 31.

The congresswoman introduced the Secure Rural Schools Extension Act, H.R. 3048, with bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) to extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 through fiscal year 2020, a law first introduced in 2000 to provide federal funds to counties that have tracts of federally owned, tax-exempt land.

The SRS program provides payments, partly derived from timber receipts and other leasing activities within national forests, to the county governments where the forests are located, according to Rep. McMorris Rodgers’ office.

Currently, uncertainty exists because the SRS program is set to expire, which would challenge these counties to plan annual budgets or invest in public education or infrastructure, according to her office.

“The Secure Rural Schools program provides critical financial certainty to many of the rural counties here in eastern Washington,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers. “Without this funding, people in rural, timber-dependent communities will get left behind.”

H.R. 3048 has been referred for consideration to both the U.S. House Agriculture Committee and the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee.