U.S. Senators introduce bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program through 2029

Key Takeaways

On Sep. 30, U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), James Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2026 (S. 5608). The bill would reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program through fiscal year (FY) 2029 and provide critical fiscal certainty for timber-dependent communities in more than 700 counties nationwide that are home to National Forests. The U.S. Forest Service-administered program supports essential government services such as roads, public education and law enforcement.

For years, NACo and county leaders have supported the SRS program. The introduction of this legislation is a welcome first step to provide needed stability for counties after the program expired on September 30, 2026, and counties applaud Sens. Crapo, Wyden, Risch and Merkley for their leadership. NACo urges Congress to quickly consider and pass the bipartisan bill. 

Background 

Counties are responsible for providing critical services to residents and visitors within our jurisdictions. Although counties principally raise revenue through property taxes, federal lands are untaxable. Historically, rural counties with National Forests relied on a share of revenue produced from timber harvested on public land, but, starting in the 1980s, changing national forest management policies and industry conditions led to a severe decline in these receipts.

In 2000, Congress created the Secure Rural Schools program (P.L. 106-393) to stabilize revenue sharing payments and to prevent steep reductions in local government services by alleviating financial uncertainty in timber-dependent communities. In FY 2025, the SRS program provided more than $230 million to more than 700 counties nationwide to support public education, law enforcement, roads and bridges and more. The program was most recently authorized through the NACo-endorsed Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025 (P.L. 119-58).

SRS Resource Hub

SRS Reauthorization

Without congressional action, the SRS program expired on September 30, 2026, with counties facing a fiscal cliff in FY 2027. The Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2026 would extend the program for three years through FY 2029, with counties receiving their final authorization payment in early 2030. 

The bill also extends the deadline for counties to initiate projects until the end of FY 2031 and the deadline for counties to fully obligate program funding until the end of the FY 2032. As a clean reauthorization, the proposed legislation makes no changes to the SRS program or the funding formula. 

A separate companion bill, the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Clarification Act (S. 5607), would make a technical change for certain counties in Oregon that are home to Oregon & California Railroad (O&C) lands and USFS lands. Although the O&C lands are administered by the Bureau of Land Management, they are part of the SRS program. NACo supports this change to benefit these counties by allowing them to make a more informed decision regarding their participation in the SRS program.

Next Steps

Extending the SRS program to provide long-term stability for national forest counties remains one of NACo’s top policy priorities. NACo strongly endorses the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2026 and urges Congress to swiftly consider and pass this vital legislation. 

Counties can act by urging their Senators to cosponsor and support the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2026. Companion legislation has not yet been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, and counties can urge their members of Congress to act to support House legislation. 

NACo will continue to work with bill sponsors and congressional leadership to advance this legislation and will keep members updated as the bill moves through the legislative process.