WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines released the following statement on his vote to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program for two years — providing rural Montana counties with critical support for schools and community services.
“It is critical that the federal government fulfill its long-standing promise to our forested counties, which have faced significant economic challenges under declining timber harvests and the ongoing mismanagement of our National Forests. It’s unacceptable that Washington’s inaction has led to such great uncertainty in these already struggling communities. Last night, I was proud to vote to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools program — a vote I’ve long been fighting for the Senate to take. But reauthorizing this important program isn’t enough. Our rural counties deserve long-term solutions that provide sustainable sources of revenue that are not dependent on the whims of Washington, D.C. politics. We must continue working for meaningful solutions that increase responsible timber harvests on Forest Service lands, create hundreds of new jobs in Montana and provide our counties with sustainable revenues for generations to come.”
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