Idaho and Oregon senators introduced a bill to create a permanent source of funding for rural schools. The measure is designed to help counties with a large percentage of federal land.
Republican Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch introduced a bill last week to create an endowment to support counties and schools. The permanent fund will cost more than $7 billion.
The new bill would replace the Secure Rural Schools Act which was passed more than 20 years ago. Every year, Congress has to appropriate funding to SRS. But some years, Congress would come up short and it would go without money.
School districts in timber-heavy spots like Idaho County have come to rely on Secure Rural Schools money to help cover their costs. The idea is that the endowment would create a reliable bucket of money that would not be subject to annual appropriations.
Crapo and Risch are joined by Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both Democrats.
Find reporter Frankie Barnhill on Twitter @FABarnhill
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