U.S. Senate passes Secure Rural Schools reauthorization
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Zeke Lee
Joe Jackson
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On November 12, the Senate unanimously passed the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2023 (S.2581), a major milestone for supporting our forested counties
To help ensure the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, counties should now focus on House advocacy following the Senate’s passage of S.2581 during the lame duck session of Congress. House members need to hear from local leaders about SRS’s importance for rural communities. SRS supports over 700 counties, and without reauthorization some will experience severe budgetary shortfalls, affecting the delivery of vital services.
Reach out to your House Representative to urge passage of SRS reauthorization legislation
NACo has provided a customizable letter to help counties urge their House members to pass S.2581 and sign a letter of support organized by Reps. Neguse and McMorris Rodgers before the November 20 deadline.
Background on SRS
Created in 2000, the SRS program provides critical funding to rural counties and schools impacted by reduced timber harvests on federal lands, while also supporting essential services like infrastructure, education and fire suppression. SRS payments will cease in 2025 without action and it’s urgent that Congress reauthorizes SRS to prevent severe budget shortfalls in forest counties next year.
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Congress passes Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 in victory for counties
In a major victory for counties, Congress passed the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act of 2025 (S. 356) on December 9. The bill provides payments to counties for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 and FY 2025 and reauthorizes the SRS program through the end of FY 2026, and delivers critical relief to timber-dependent counties that rely on these funds to maintain essential services and transition toward long-term fiscal stability.
House Natural Resources Committee advances Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act
On November 20, the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources advanced the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act (H.R. 4776), which would make important changes to streamline federal permitting and strengthen county involvement in decision-making by amending the National Environmental Policy Act. Counties support commonsense permitting reforms, and NACo secured provisions in the SPEED Act that would guarantee counties a seat at the table during federal environmental reviews.
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The NACo Center for Public Lands Counties is dedicated to advancing the policy and practice study of America’s public lands counties. Our mission is to deepen the understanding and address the unique challenges faced by counties containing federal lands through strategic research and collaboration.
