WASHINGTON, D.C. — Legislation to restore federal payments for rural counties that contain large tracts of tax-exempt federal land is set to become law after passing the U.S. House of Representatives, according to a news release from Sen. Mike Crapo’s office.

Senate Bill 356, the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act, led by Crapo, passed the Senate unanimously in June and will now go to the President for signature. The measure would reinstate funding for counties that saw steep reductions after the program expired at the end of Fiscal Year 2023.

Crapo said the program plays a key role in helping rural, forested counties support schools, maintain roads, and provide emergency response services. Because federal land is not subject to local property taxes, SRS funds were designed to offset lost revenue. Without reauthorization, counties have relied on payments under a 1908 timber-sharing law—an arrangement that has resulted in cuts of up to 80 percent for some jurisdictions.

The legislation reauthorizes SRS through Fiscal Year 2026 and includes retroactive payments for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. A bipartisan coalition of 89 lawmakers, including Sens. Ron Wyden, Jim Risch, and Jeff Merkley, and Reps. Doug LaMalfa and Joe Neguse, urged congressional leadership to advance the measure before the end of the year.

In Fiscal Year 2023, Idaho received $22.8 million in SRS funding across 34 counties to support educational programs, emergency services, and other public functions.

The bill’s passage does not resolve long-term uncertainty. Crapo noted he continues to pursue a more permanent solution for counties that depend on the annual payments.