County payments major aim of Wyden
From our weekly issue dated June 11, 2008
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) announced Monday, June 9 that a four-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, commonly known as the “county payments” law, is included in the Senate version of H.R.6049, the Renewable Energy and Job Creation Act of 2008.
Wyden cautioned that the Republicans’ threat to filibuster is likely to derail his effort.
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“I hope that my Republican colleagues will resist the urge to filibuster long enough to throw the nation’s rural schools and communities a lifeline,” said Wyden. “But rest assured that if they don’t see the light, I will continue to pursue every conceivable legislative option until these communities get the funding they so desperately need.
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The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000, originally authored by Wyden and U.S. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) established a six-year payment formula for counties that receive revenue sharing payments for the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management land. Based on historical timber receipts, the formula established a stable source of revenue to be used for education, roads and various other county services in rural areas.
More than 700 counties in 39 states have received funding under the original country payments law, which was allowed to expire in September 2006. Last year by a 74-23 vote, the Senate approved a multiyear extension of the county payments law as part of the FY 2007 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill. However, after negotiations with the House of Representatives, the law was only extended for one year.
Earlier this year, a one-year extension of the county payments law was included by Wyden in an emergency domestic spending bill, which passed the full Senate by a veto-proof majority of 75-22. It’s anticipated that the House will vote on emergency spending legislation later this week.
