The House will vote this week on legislation to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program, which provides federal payments to counties in and around national forests.
The program, typically renewed every two years, lapsed in September 2023, leaving school districts to receive much smaller amounts provided by federal timber sales.
S. 356, from Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), seeks to reauthorize the program and include retroactive payments. The Senate already cleared the bill in June, and backers have been urging House leaders to act.
In some cases, counties and schools saw payments plummet by 80 percent, according to the office of Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.). In total, schools and counties in 41 states have seen a 63 percent shortfall totaling $177 million, said lawmakers backing the bill.
