Counties Applaud Introduction of Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act by Senators Crapo and Wyden
The National Association of Counties (NACo) has expressed strong support for the introduction of the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act of 2026 (S.5608). This bipartisan legislation, led by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jim Risch, and Jeff Merkley, aims to reauthorize the SRS program for three years, extending its funding through fiscal year 2029. The SRS program provides crucial financial stability to over 700 timber-dependent counties across 41 states, enabling them to fund essential services such as roads, public education, and law enforcement. The program, first enacted in 2000, helps counties affected by reduced timber harvest revenues from federal lands.