U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised the Senate’s move this week to extend a lifeline to rural Oregon communities with passage of a two-year renewal of the Secure Rural Schools program.
“This extension ends months of uncertainty for Oregon’s rural communities, who have grappled with on-again, off-again funding for roads, schools and first responders,” Wyden said. “Renewed county payments buy us time to build support for solutions that address the broader economic issues that plague too many of our rural areas.”
Wyden authored the original Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program in 2000 with then-Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho. Since then it has brought more than $2.8 billion to rural Oregon counties. Wyden and Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, introduced a three-year extension of the county payments program last month.
The two-year extension that cleared the Senate is expected to bring about $85 million to Oregon counties this year and will provide Oregon counties needed certainty through this year while Congress develops a broader and longer-term solution.
