WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement celebrating the passage of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation to renew critical funding for rural counties in southeast Missouri and school districts across the country.

Congressman Smith said, “Communities across southeast Missouri have felt the strain since the Secure Rural Schools program expired in September 2023, leaving our counties and schools without the financial certainty they rely on. When so much of our land is federally owned, rural areas can’t depend on a traditional tax base to fund classrooms, maintain roads, or support first responders. Reauthorizing this program restores the stability our communities deserve and ensures that our students and families aren’t left behind because of federal land ownership. This is a major win for our schools, our infrastructure, and the long-term strength of our rural counties.”

The Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program was created in 2000 to help rural counties offset lost revenue from declining timber harvests on federal land. Historically, counties containing national forest land received a portion of timber receipts to fund essential services like public education, road maintenance, emergency response, and law enforcement. As timber revenue dropped, many communities struggled to maintain these services. SRS provides stable, annual payments to ensure rural counties can continue supporting students, teachers, and first responders. Reauthorizing the program ensures predictable funding so rural communities can plan budgets, maintain infrastructure, and provide critical services without interruption.