Curtis Applauds House Passage of Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization ACT

Washington, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) applauded the U.S. House of Representatives’ bipartisan passage of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025, which will help counties with significant federal forest lands offset lost revenue and keep essential local services running. The House vote follows aletterfrom Senator Curtis and his colleagues to renew the program, and the Senate’s unanimous passage of the bill.
“Secure Rural Schools is a promise kept to counties that educate kids, maintain roads, and protect public safety in the shadow of federal forests,”said Curtis.“I am grateful the House made this move with strong bipartisan support, and I look forward to the President signing the bill quickly so Utah’s rural counties can depend on the stable, predictable funding they deserve.”
Why This Matters for Utah
Utah has large stretches of federally managed forest land that are exempt from local property taxes; SRS payments are a critical backstop that support:

After the program’s authorization lapsed in September 2023, many counties nationwide faced steep drops in expected payments, leading to school closures, delayed road and bridge maintenance, and reduced public safety services. The 2025 reauthorization restores certainty for those affected communities.
Background
The Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act was enacted in 2000, giving counties the option to receive SRS payments to support public services like road maintenance, infrastructure, education, wildfire mitigation, and other efforts to address public safety. Congress has consistently reauthorized these payments with overwhelming bipartisan support, with the most recent reauthorization expiring at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.
The Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025:
Senator Curtis has consistently supported commonsense policies that strengthen rural economies, improve public lands management, and ensure local governments are not left holding the bag for federal land ownership.