A bipartisan letter has been circulating among House Offices in support of including two years of Federal Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) and Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding in the omnibus spending package currently being negotiated.
The letter is being led by Representative Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Washington), and has been signed by the following California Representatives: McClintock (R-Placer), LaMalfa (R-Butte), Huffman (D-Marin), Garamendi (D-Yolo), Costa (D-Fresno), Cook (R-San Bernardino), Lee (D-Oakland), Cox (D-Kings), Vargas (D-San Diego), Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara), and Brownley (D-Ventura). The SRS extension will either be included in an Omnibus Appropriations package, if one is reached, or it can possible be attached to a “continuing resolution” (CR), or an item that is technically outside the scope of a legislation. Additionally, Representative Jared Huffman is continuing his work to introduce a House SRS Trust bill, which would be a companion to legislation in the Senate introduced by Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). The SRS Trust bill would create a permanent funding source for the Secure Rural Schools program, and take away the uncertainty that comes from year-in/year-out appropriations.
The letter can be accessed here.