U.S. Senate passes Secure Rural Schools reauthorization
Author

Zeke Lee

Joe Jackson
Upcoming Events
Related News

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.
Related News

Podcast: Talking with Public Lands County Leaders, Part VII
The County News Podcast resumes our series on public lands county issues with two guests: Pennington County, S.D. Commissioner Gary Drewes and Curry County, N.M. Commissioner Seth Martin.

Senate lawmakers introduce bipartisan legislation to support public lands counties
On August 4, U.S. Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the More Opportunities for Rural Economies (MORE) Grants Package.

U.S. Department of Agriculture announces reorganization
On July 24, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a major reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that will relocate thousands of federal employees, restructure regional offices and consolidate administrative services and operations. The changes are expected to reduce USDA’s footprint in Washington, D.C. and shift more personnel to regional hubs across the country.
Featured Initiative
National Center for Public Lands Counties
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.
