U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, is once again calling for the renewal of a 25-year-old timber revenue program as small school districts in Southwest Washington slash their budgets for the 2025-26 school year.

During a February press conference at Mount Pleasant School in rural Washougal , the second-term congresswoman implored representatives to vote on the U.S. Forest Service’s Secure Rural Schools and Self-Determination Act of 2000, saying that the program needed to be renewed by Jan. 31 to avoid impacting rural counties that rely on the federal revenues.

Perez said in a July 28 news release that the program, which still hasn’t been renewed, is now “behind schedule” and that the inaction of representatives is leading to school closures and staff reductions.

“The Senat

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