Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Clears House

The House voted 395-4 Tuesday in favor of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act.  The measure, which cleared the Senate back in June, will renew funding critical for rural counties and schools across the country and the Northwest.  The legislation now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.

Funding for the SRS program lapsed in 2023, resulting in school closures, delayed road and bridge maintenance, and reduced public safety services.

Several Northwest Representatives voted in favor of the reauthorization, including Val Hoyle and Cliff Bentz from Oregon, Idaho’s Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, Washington’s Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Dan Newhouse.

“Having a majority of Idaho’s lands under federal government control forces our rural counties to rely on federal programs—such as Secure Rural Schools (SRS)—to support infrastructure projects, schools, and critical community services,” Fulcher said. “I am grateful to Speaker Johnson and House Republican Leadership for their collaborative efforts with myself and Congressman Simpson to get this measure on the House floor, and passed. However, a long-term solution is necessary, and I will continue to advocate for one in Congress that ensures Idahoans dictate Idaho affairs—not the federal government.”

“Nearly two-thirds of Idaho is public land, which means a vast majority of rural counties throughout the state depend on the Secure Rural Schools Program," Simpson added.  "Renewing this critical program will ensure a vital source of funding for Idaho counties and help pay for essential rural community services. I look forward to seeing this lifeline benefit local communities throughout Idaho for schools and infrastructure projects. As a longtime supporter of the SRS program, I was proud to fight for this Idaho funding alongside Congressman Fulcher and support its passage on the House floor. I’m grateful to Speaker Johnson, House Leadership, and my colleagues for supporting this bipartisan program."

“The Secure Rural Schools program is absolutely critical, and the passage of this legislation is beyond overdue,” Gluesenkamp Perez said. “Candidly, the only reason it took this long is because way too many folks in D.C. have been blissfully ignorant about how disastrous the lapse of SRS has been for timber communities in Southwest Washington and across the West. Schools have closed up, teachers have been laid off, and our kids have been left footing the bill for Congress’s neglect. My colleagues need to wake up and see that their blind spots have massive consequences for the American people.”

"The Secure Rural Schools program has provided critical funding for schools, roads, and other municipal services to more than seven hundred counties across the country, including here in Central Washington," Newhouse said. "This longstanding commitment from the federal government helps rural areas where resources are stretched thin, and the program’s lapse has put a real strain on counties who historically depend on these funds.

As a longtime supporter of SRS, I am pleased to see this program reauthorized, and I am thankful for the bipartisan support we have in making sure rural communities begin receiving this assistance again," Newhouse added.

If you have a story idea for the PNW Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail glenn.vaagen@townsquaremedia.com