Jaime Herrera Beutler Ensures Two Years of Rural School Funding will Receive U.S. House Vote this Week

Press Release

Jaime Herrera Beutler applauded an announcement that the U.S. House would vote this week on a two year reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools -- a program critical to rural timber counties in Southwest Washington. The Secure Rural Schools program provides important funding for rural communities that have suffered from the loss of tax receipts due to the vast reduction in federal timber management, providing emergency response services and schools to local residents.

Jaime successfully fought for a commitment from U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in December of 2014 that the House would find a legislative fix to this situation as early as possible in 2015, and has been working with committee and House leadership to secure this week's vote. The program reauthorization is part of bipartisan legislation that establishes a permanent reimbursement system for physicians of Medicare patients.

"The reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools funding could not come too soon for rural communities in Southwest Washington that are already grappling with layoffs and loss of vital services," said Jaime. "I'm grateful for Leader McCarthy's partnership and glad that my efforts, along with those of my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, have finally brought this rural community priority before the House. We'll need the Senate to act quickly, too, in order to bring relief to the kids, law enforcement and residents of Southwest Washington. And while I'll do whatever I can to get this provision to the President's desk as quickly as possible, this whole situation only amplifies our need for a permanent fix that restores responsible management to our federal forests.

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