Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today welcomed the passage of S. 2581, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act, which the Senate agreed to by unanimous consent late yesterday evening. This legislation, which Murkowski co-sponsored, reauthorizes the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act through Fiscal Year 2026, allowing the U.S. Forest Service to continue to provide critical funding for schools, roads and other municipal services to eligible rural communities across the country who have experienced declines in timber receipts. Murkowski has long used her senior role on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee to champion the program. Since 2013, the U.S. Forest Service has allocated approximately $2.4 billion to communities around the nation through the Secure Rural Schools initiative.

“Secure Rural Schools is an important program that provides a lifeline for rural, forested communities across Alaska to support essential services, including roads and schools,” Senator Murkowski said. “Ensuring the continuation of this program remains a priority of mine. SRS payments will cease in 2025 causing budget shortfalls, so I urge the House to act quickly and pass this bill during this lame duck session of Congress.”

The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was enacted in 2000 to assist communities negatively impacted by declining timber sale revenues. Payments to eligible communities may be used to support schools and roads, fire prevention, emergency services, and eligible lands projects. This reauthorization also makes permanent changes made via the 2018 Farm Bill and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help Resource Advisory Committees work more effectively. 

The Forest Service controls 22 million acres of land in Alaska. That includes 17 million acres in Southeast. How much a community receives is based in part on how much federal forest land is located within its boundaries.

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