Gluesenkamp Perez’s Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize Secure Rural Schools Program Passes House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) released the following statement after the House passed her bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program through FY26. Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez co-led and voted for this legislation, which now heads to the President to be signed into law.  

“The Secure Rural Schools program is absolutely critical, and the passage of this legislation is beyond overdue,” said Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez. “Candidly, the only reason it took this long is because way too many folks in D.C. have been blissfully ignorant about how disastrous the lapse of SRS has been for timber communities in Southwest Washington and across the West. Schools have closed up, teachers have been laid off, and our kids have been left footing the bill for Congress’s neglect. My colleagues need to wake up and see that their blind spots have massive consequences for the American people.”

SRS funds critical services in rural communities across Southwest Washington that have been prevented from harvesting the amount of timber they need to generate adequate revenue. Since its enactment, SRS has provided $7 billion in payments to more than 700 counties and 4,400 school districts across 40 states.

• In Skamania County, only 1.8 percent of land can generate revenue for public services, and SRS funding accounts for 5.1 percent of the county’s budget.
  
• In FY 2023, Cowlitz, Lewis, and Skamania Counties received significant amounts of funding through SRS.

Since SRS lapsed, educators and support staff have been laid off in Skamania County, Wind River Middle School closed its doors this past Fall, and infrastructure projects have been cancelled and delayed in Lewis County.This has led to higher student-teacher ratios, consolidated bus routes, and a growing gap in critical student mental health and development support.

Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez has been a consistent champion in the bipartisan effort to reauthorize SRS. This legislation was brought to the House floor after she sent multiple letters to House Leadership highlighting the local consequences of a funding lapse and urging them to take up the legislation. The Congresswoman sent letters in December, July, and January of this year, as well as September of last year.

In February, she helped introduce the bipartisan Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act in the House, and she held a press conference with Skamania County leaders to underscore the dire stakes of reauthorization.

Video of the February press conference can be found here.

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