Mail Trib: U.S. House passes funding measure for timber counties

Mail Trib: U.S. House passes funding measure for timber counties

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a two-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools program, which will provide funding for schools, roads and county government in rural communities.

The measure, passed by a vote of 392-37, was included in a bipartisan bill that reforms how doctors are paid under Medicare.

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, who pushed the bill, noted that in Oregon, "it will even protect some counties from going bankrupt."

Curry and Josephine counties are among those in the most dire situations; in both counties voters have rejected numerous levies to fund law enforcement. Jackson County, which is not facing the same degree of financial strain, is expected to get $7.4 million from the extension, about 5 percent less than the $7.8 million netted during the 2013-14 fiscal year.

“Now this is like a can of flat fix: an emergency repair on the side of the road to solve a short term problem," Walden said on the House floor today prior to the vote, according to a release from his office. "What we really need is a permanent fix for our forested counties. But this is an emergency and what we’re doing today is providing a lifeline to our school children in classrooms in rural counties that are forested under federal land, and making sure law enforcement have the resources they need."

This two year extension now goes to the Senate. Walden's office said President Obama has announced that he would sign it.