Congressman Troy Downing of Montana’s 2nd Congressional District has announced his support for S. 356, the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025. The bill, which passed a vote in Congress, would extend the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program through Fiscal Year 2026 and restore payments that lapsed in 2024 and 2025.
Downing highlighted the impact of previous lapses in funding on local education. “Montana’s students and teachers lost out on millions in funding when Congress failed to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools Program,” said Congressman Downing. “As a former educator, I understand that every penny counts when it comes to the classroom. I was proud to support this measure today that ensures rural communities in central and eastern Montana have the funds they need to provide the best education for our next generation.”
The SRS program was first established in 2000 under the SRS and Community Self-Determination Act. It is designed to help counties with federally owned forest land, which are exempt from property taxes. These counties receive payments based on timber receipts and other revenue-generating activities within U.S. national forests because they do not get tax revenue from federal lands.
Congressman Downing also joined Western Caucus Chairman Doug LaMalfa and other lawmakers in sending a bipartisan letter to House leadership urging swift reauthorization of the SRS program.
