Wyden sees mixed bag for Oregonians in funding bill

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement Monday on an agreement to fund the federal government through Sept 30, the end of the federal fiscal year:

“The bill to fund the government through September contains some good news for Oregon communities, including increased funding to maintain our national parks and resources to keep our public lands open for outdoor recreation opportunities. It also provides help for students struggling to afford college by restoring year-round Pell Grants,” Wyden said.

“Additionally, while the bill includes funding to fight wildfires, it stops far short of solving fire borrowing through a long-term wildfire budgeting fix, and undermines investment in rural areas by cutting funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund,” the senator added.

“I was also disappointed the bill does not include help for Oregon’s rural counties through the Secure Rural Schools program. I am working on bipartisan solutions to give our struggling rural counties a lifeline and to get ahead of the catastrophic wildfires that threaten our forests and communities.”