Angie Craig: “I am filing at the desk today an amendment to the emergency supplemental that will be coming over, or is already here…”

“I am filing at the desk today an amendment to the emergency supplemental that will be coming over, or is already here, from the House to reinsert a provision that the Senate put in our version of the emergency supplemental before it went to the House for their consideration. This amendment includes a 1-year funding for the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. What that simply means is timber-dependent communities and school districts across the country would receive their level of funding for one more year until such time as we can fully reauthorize the act. The Senate Finance Committee, in the extender legislation, has a reauthorization in it. But we don't know whether that will come immediately following the Fourth of July recess or some time into the summer. Here is the reality of the emergency funding about which we are talking. There are 775 counties and 4,400 school districts in 42 States that is now making critical hiring decisions for the coming school year that will start at the end of August. These school districts need this money. It is quite simple. They have no other way of raising the resource that is now terminated as a result of our inability to move in the appropriate fashion. What we are talking about is 9 million schoolchildren who will be affected.”