The U.S. House today passed a two year-extension of the Secure Rural Schools program.
The extension, which was included in a bipartisan bill that reforms how doctors are paid under Medicare, provides needed funding for schools, roads, and law enforcement in rural forested communities. The measure passed by a vote of 392-37.
“Included in this bill is two years’ worth of funding for the Secure Rural Schools program,” said U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River). “Now this is like a can of flat fix: an emergency repair on the side of the road to solve a short term problem. What we really need is a permanent fix for our forested counties. But this is an emergency and what we’re doing today is providing a lifeline to our school children in classrooms in rural counties that are forested under federal land, and making sure law enforcement have the resources they need. In my own state of Oregon, this will even protect some counties from going bankrupt because of lack of management and activity on our federal lands.”
This two year extension now goes to the Senate.
