U.S. Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) on Wednesday reintroduced an amendment to the emergency supplemental appropriations bill to extend the county timber payments program.

The one-year, $400 million extension would secure funding for over 775 counties and 4,400 school districts across 42 states while Congress works on a multi-year solution.

The original Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act established a six-year payment formula for counties that receive revenue sharing payments for U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. The formula, based on timber receipts, provides a dedicated funding stream for rural schools which cannot collect property taxes from national parks, U.S. forests and other public lands.

Craig’s amendment would restore the county payments legislation to the supplemental bill that was passed by the House last week.

US Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho) comments

In addition to war funding, the House-approved bill includes veterans’ provisions as well as disaster relief for flooding in the Midwest. The full Senate is expected to consider the legislation this week.