To extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 6535
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Public Lands and Natural Resources
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-01-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-16T08:07:33Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill, H.R. 6535, aims to extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (SRS Act), a law that provides financial support to rural communities in states and counties with significant federal land ownership. The SRS Act compensates for lost local tax revenue due to federal lands (like national forests) that cannot be taxed, and funds community projects such as road maintenance, schools, and conservation efforts. The extension prevents the program's expiration and ensures continued stability for these areas.
Key Provisions
- Extension of Secure Payments: Updates the SRS Act to extend secure payments (a stable funding alternative to variable timber receipts) for states and counties from fiscal year 2023 to 2026. Includes special rules for fiscal years 2024 and 2025 to avoid double payments by reducing new SRS payments if counties already received alternative federal payments (e.g., 25% or 50% timber receipt shares). Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to issue these payments within 45 days of enactment.
- Payment Elections and Distributions: Carries over counties' prior payment choices (e.g., for schools, roads, or special projects) from 2023 into 2024 and 2025 without requiring new elections. Extends distribution deadlines to 2026.
- Special Projects on Federal Land: Extends authority for Resource Advisory Committees (local groups that recommend conservation or restoration projects on federal lands) through 2026, with project implementation allowed until 2028 and fund expenditure until 2029.
- County Funds Expenditure: Allows counties to spend SRS funds on eligible projects (like education or infrastructure) through 2028, with related reporting until 2029.
- Pilot Program Extension: Extends a pilot program for forming Resource Advisory Committees in certain areas until 2026 and removes its expiration date.
- Technical Corrections: Makes minor fixes to the SRS Act's language, such as correcting grammatical errors and updating historical references for clarity (e.g., specifying a 2008 enactment date for a provision).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Shifts expiration dates forward: Core payments from 2023 to 2026; special project authority from 2025 to 2028; fund spending from 2025 to 2028.
- Introduces interim adjustments for 2024–2025 to reconcile SRS payments with any prior alternative federal distributions, preventing overfunding.
- Waives new election requirements for 2024–2025, using 2023 choices to streamline administration.
- Eliminates the pilot program's end date, making it permanent unless further changed.
These changes build on the SRS Act without altering its core structure, focusing on continuity rather than new mandates.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of the Treasury will handle expedited payments, while the U.S. Department of Agriculture (Forest Service) and Department of the Interior (Bureau of Land Management) will continue overseeing project approvals and committee operations, potentially reducing administrative burdens through extended timelines.
- On Citizens: Rural residents in affected areas (about 800 counties across 23 states) gain predictable funding for schools, roads, and public services, stabilizing local budgets amid declining timber revenues. This could improve education quality and infrastructure without tax hikes.
- On International Relations: No direct impact, as the bill focuses on domestic federal land management.
Overall, it promotes economic stability in rural, resource-dependent communities without increasing federal spending beyond existing SRS allocations (funded by the general treasury).
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Rural Counties and States: Primary beneficiaries, especially in Western states like Oregon, Idaho, and Montana with high federal land percentages (e.g., over 50% in some counties), receiving direct payments for lost revenue.
- Local Governments and Schools: Funds support public education, county roads, and emergency services, aiding taxpayers and students.
- Resource Advisory Committees: Local volunteers and experts involved in project recommendations, gaining extended authority to influence federal land use.
- Federal Land Managers: Agencies like the Forest Service benefit from continued community partnerships for land stewardship projects.
- Environmental and Conservation Groups: Indirectly affected through sustained funding for restoration initiatives on federal lands.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the SRS Act's framework by addressing payment overlaps, ensuring compliance with federal budgeting laws (e.g., under Title 16 of the U.S. Code). Technical corrections improve enforceability without substantive disputes.
- Constitutional: No major issues; aligns with Congress's spending power under Article I and property clause authority over federal lands. It avoids takings claims by compensating for untaxable federal property.
- Political: Bipartisan appeal in rural districts, as it extends a popular program (reauthorized multiple times since 2000) amid debates over federal land use and rural economic decline. Could influence future appropriations by locking in funding through 2026, potentially pressuring Congress for permanent reauthorization. No controversial elements like new regulations or environmental mandates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-01-13: Referred to the Subcommittee on Forestry and Horticulture.
- 2025-12-09: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-12-09: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2025-12-09: Introduced in House
- 2025-12-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000. — issued 2025-12-09 — PDF (6 pages)