President Donald Trump has signed S. 356, the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act, into law. The legislation reauthorizes the SRS program through Fiscal Year 2026 and includes payments that had lapsed for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. Members of Idaho’s Congressional Delegation, including Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch as well as Representatives Mike Simpson and Russ Fulcher, played leading roles in introducing and supporting the bill.
In 2023, thirty-four out of Idaho’s forty-four counties received SRS payments. According to state law, thirty percent of this funding supports schools while seventy percent is directed toward infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges. For Fiscal Year 2023, Idaho counties were allocated $22.8 million under this program.
Senator Mike Crapo said, “The SRS program is rooted in century-old federal land management policy. Without it, many counties in Idaho and across the country would fall short of the financial means to provide for integral community functions for local residents and visitors alike. I thank President Trump for signing this important bill into law, and I remain committed to working toward a long-term solution that provides more certainty to rural communities.”
Senator Risch stated, “The federal government made a promise to rural communities, and today I’m proud to see President Trump follow through and reauthorize SRS. While we work to bring back historic timber revenue, SRS funding remains vital for Idaho counties to support schools, road maintenance, and other essential services.”
Representative Simpson emphasized the importance of public lands in Idaho: “Nearly two-thirds of Idaho is public land, which means a vast majority of rural counties throughout the state depend on the Secure Rural Schools Program. Renewing this critical program will ensure a vital source of funding for Idaho counties and help pay for essential rural community services. I look forward to seeing this lifeline benefit local communities throughout Idaho for schools and infrastructure projects. As a longtime supporter of the SRS program, I am thrilled to see President Trump sign this into law.”
Representative Fulcher commented on federal land control: “Having a majority of Idaho’s lands under federal government control forces our rural counties to rely on federal programs—such as Secure Rural Schools (SRS)—to support infrastructure projects, schools, and critical community services. I am grateful to President Trump for signing this important measure into law, and I am appreciative of Speaker Mike Johnson and House Leadership for their collaborative efforts to get it on the House floor, and passed. However, a long-term solution is necessary, and I will continue to advocate for one in Congress that ensures Idahoans dictate Idaho affairs—not the federal government.”
Seth Grigg from the Idaho Association of Counties added praise for legislative leadership: “The Idaho Association of Counties (IAC) is deeply grateful for Senator Crapo’s leadership in securing renewed funding for the Secure Rural Schools Act. His steadfast determination and advocacy, along with the continued support of Senator Risch and Representatives Simpson and Fulcher, make a real difference for the safety of Idahoans. This funding is essential for timber counties across Idaho to maintain critical road infrastructure, invest in public safety, and support the basic services Idaho residents rely on every day.”
Idaho State Forester Julia Lauch noted collaboration between agencies: “This funding is essential to counties that have historically received resources from revenue-generating activities on federal lands within their boundaries,” she said. “The impact is greatest in rural counties dominated by federal land. State Forestry Agencies have strong partnerships with counties to further active management on neighboring lands and protect communities from wildfire risk; Secure Rural Schools’ funds contribute to this work. This is shared stewardship in action, which in Idaho we have coined ‘no boundaries forestry’.”
Local advocacy also played an important role in passing the legislation; according to officials such as Skip Brandt from Idaho County—which receives more SRS funds than any other county—community leaders helped highlight how loss of these funds affected key services: “Senator Crapo’s leadership has been indispensable in restoring Secure Rural Schools funding,” Brandt said. “His efforts give rural timber counties in Idaho the stability we need to keep school bus routes safe and to continue basic road and public safety services. This is a big win for Idaho County and other rural counties throughout Idaho that rely heavily on these dollars. We appreciate Senator Crapo’s willingness to lead the charge and get it done when other people thought it was too late.”
Idaho’s Congressional Delegation has supported extending or amending SRS since its inception in 2000; recent passage followed bipartisan backing from lawmakers across both chambers.
