Political Quotes

“I rise today to praise the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its impact on rural communities. The House took an important step for rural America by passing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. For communities across eastern Washington, the relief cannot come soon enough. For years, rural communities with large amounts of Federal land faced a structural disadvantage. They can't collect property taxes on those lands, yet they are still expected to keep schools open, maintain roads, and provide public safety. The Forest Service manages millions of acres in our region, but it is our local government that is left holding the bag. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act helps fix that broken system. It restores stable, reliable funding to rural counties that host Federal forests by reauthorizing the Secure Rural Schools program through fiscal year 2026. That means that our county commissioners and local leaders can plan with confidence, knowing that the Federal Government will keep its promise to pay predictable-share forest revenues to the school districts that I represent. I have heard directly from our county leaders in Asotin, Ferry, Pend Oreille, Stevens, and Walla Walla Counties. The uncertainty is real. Some are facing a 40 percent cut. This puts rural services and teaching jobs at risk. Fortunately, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act delivers the kind of support that they need and deserve. Now, it is time for the Senate to act.”