Kilmer Joins Call on Congressional Leaders to Renew a Program Critical to Rural Communities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) called on Congressional leaders to renew a program critical to rural communities. In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Kilmer and other representatives urged the continuation of funding for Secure Rural Schools (SRS) in fiscal year 2016 and future years to help counties with national forests.
Since national forest land cannot be taxed by counties or states, for more than 100 years the Forest Service has shared revenues from timber harvests on federal land with the nearby communities. As harvests declined, the SRS program was started to assist communities so they could maintain essential services. The letter notes that SRS payments are necessary to support vital services like law enforcement, road maintenance, and education in rural communities across the country.
“The SRS program continues to be a critical safety net for forest counties,” the members wrote in the letter. “As Congress continues its work to improve forest management with policies that protect natural resources, improve forest health and provide jobs, we urge you to work in a bipartisan fashion to reauthorize the SRS program.”
Washington state is typically among the top recipients of SRS funds. During fiscal year 2015 Clallam County received SRS payments of $824,816, Grays Harbor County received $313,280, Jefferson County received $941,107, and Mason County received $328,482. Across the nation SRS sends funds to more than 720 counties in 41 states.
The last time SRS expired in 2014 Kilmer was part of a successful effort to get the program renewed for two years.
The text of the letter follows.
Dear Speaker Ryan and Democratic Leader Pelosi,
We write to express our strong support for reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program in Fiscal Year 2017, as well as retroactively for Fiscal Year 2016, and our willingness to support your efforts. The SRS program provides crucial support for law enforcement, transportation infrastructure, and education in the more than 720 counties in 41 states that depend on revenue from federal forests.
The SRS program expired on September 30, 2015. Earlier this year the last payments were distributed to eligible counties. Most counties have completed their budgets for the upcoming year and without the SRS program, counties have been forced to cut vital services. As a result, funding for law enforcement, road maintenance, and education has been slashed. Nine million students have gone back to school with fewer teachers and educational opportunities. Taken together, these funding cuts negatively affect everyone who lives or visits these counties.
According to the National Association of Counties, when the authorization for SRS lapsed in Fiscal Year 2014, forest payments to counties decreased by over 80 percent. Counties and school districts nationwide faced dramatic budgetary shortfalls. Thankfully, Congress understood the serious effect the cuts created and reauthorized the SRS program retroactively.
The SRS program continues to be a critical safety net for forest counties. As Congress continues its work to improve forest management with policies that protect natural resources, improve forest health and provide jobs, we urge you to work in a bipartisan fashion to reauthorize the SRS program.
We stand ready to work with you in support of this important program.
Sincerely,
Rep. Derek Kilmer