# Senators Seek Three-Year Rural Schools Extension

On October 1, 2026, Senators Mike Crapo, Ron Wyden, Jim Risch, and Jeff Merkley introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program for three years, one day after its funding expired on September 30. The proposal would also clarify how payments are distributed to Oregon counties with Bureau of Land Management lands. SRS supports county services including schools, roads, public safety, and watershed restoration across more than 700 counties; the legislation is not yet an enacted extension and announces no solicitation or contract award.

- Contractors serving rural counties should account for the funding lapse when assessing county budgets and projects dependent on SRS payments; a proposed extension could affect the availability of funding for those services.
- Companies pursuing county-level road, watershed restoration, school, or public-safety work in Oregon should note the proposed change to BLM-land payment distribution, while treating the bill as pending legislation rather than available contract funding.
- Because the program has expired and Congress has only introduced a proposed three-year extension, track the bill’s legislative progress before relying on continued SRS-supported county spending.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure, Environment, Education
**Topics:** Grants & Funding, Policy
**Published:** October 02, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
- U.S. Forest Service (USFS)
- U.S. Congress
- U.S. Senate

### Key Quotes
> This three-year reauthorization provides needed stability, but we must continue working toward a permanent solution that gives these communities the predictability they need to effectively plan and budget for the future.
> — Mike Crapo, U.S. Senator

> A three-year extension of the program and these common-sense updates are critical to ensuring the federal government upholds its promise to our communities and that local governments can reliably access these important resources
> — Jeff Merkley, U.S. Senator

### Sources
- [
Crapo, Wyden, Risch, Merkley Introduce Three-Year Reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools Program | U.S. Senator Mike Crapo](https://www.crapo.senate.gov/media/newsreleases/crapo-wyden-risch-merkley-introduce-three-year-reauthorization-of-secure-rural-schools-program-) - Crapo
- [Wyden, Merkley Introduce Bill to Extend Secure Rural Schools Funding - Merkley](https://www.merkley.senate.gov/wyden-merkley-introduce-bill-to-extend-secure-rural-schools-funding/) - Merkley Senate