January 26, 2007 Urge Congress To Help Fund Schools Near Federal Forest Lands The Forest County and Schools Program, created in the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, expired at the end of 2006. Congress must act immediately to reauthorize and fund this critical program, which ensures schools in timber-dependent counties a consistent funding stream. If the program is not reauthorized soon, impacted counties will have to start implementing cuts to schools and services. In fact, a number of counties around the country have already begun sending out pink slips notifying employees of potential lay offs. Contact Your Representatives And Senators Today Tell Congress to continue the Forest County and Schools Program by cosponsoring and supporting the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2007 (H.R. 17/S. 380). Tell Congress To Provide The Funds Necessary For Great Public Schools President Bush will release his proposed budget for the next fiscal year (FY08) in early February and Congress will begin work right away on the congressional budget resolution, which sets out the framework for how funds will be spent. Funding increases for programs like Title I, IDEA, and Pell Grants are necessary to help states, local school districts, and postsecondary institutions meet the demands of increasing enrollments and higher levels of accountability. These programs have sustained cuts or funding freezes in recent years. Contact Your Members Of Congress Tell your Senators and Representative to provide the resources necessary to ensure great public schools for every child.