{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350581", "Griffith Statement on Bill that Continues \u201cTrees for Schools\u201d", "2013-09-20", "2013", "2013-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Morgan Griffith", "G000568", "morgangriffith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act:\r\n\u201cOur National Forest Lands are great assets to the American people, and it is important that they be properly managed in an effort to avoid such problems as invasive species and wildfires, which burned more than 9 million acres in 2012.\u00a0 Additionally, harvesting timber creates needed jobs and revenue in rural forest communities like many in Virginia\u2019s Ninth District that struggle to meet their school budgets, pay for police and fire services, and fund necessary infrastructure repairs.\u00a0 I am pleased to support this common-sense \u2018Trees for Schools\u2019 legislation that seeks to properly manage National Forest Lands, help provide jobs for hard-working Americans, and support rural forest communities.\u201d\r\nBACKGROUND:\r\nOver a century ago, the federal government promised to actively manage forest land to the benefit of rural communities.\u00a0 Historically, the U.S. Forest Service shared approximately 25 percent of revenues from timber harvests with rural counties containing National Forest Land.\u00a0 These funds could be used for schools, teachers, police officers, etc. in lieu of revenue the communities might otherwise receive from property taxes if the land were not owned by the federal government, which does not pay local taxes.\r\nDue to federal regulations and environmental lawsuits, however, the Forest Service over the years has reduced the amount of federal forest land being timbered.\u00a0 This has created controversy regarding proper forest resource management while also destroying jobs and depriving rural regions of needed revenue.\r\nIn an effort to provide rural counties with \u201ctransition periods\u201d while the federal government worked to increase timber production, Congress in 2000 passed the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS).\u00a0 Recipients of SRS funds within the Ninth District of Virginia include the following counties: Alleghany, Bland, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise, and Wythe.\u00a0 Since 2000, however, the federal government has not properly managed the forest nor increased timber harvests, though it continued to provide money to rural counties.\r\nEarlier this year, following the implementation of 2013 federal budget cuts, the Obama Administration decided to retroactively demand repayment of nearly $18 million in 2012 SRS funds that had already been disbursed.\u00a0 Griffith joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling for this action to be halted and requesting a detailed explanation of the legal authority for demanding repayment of these funds.\u00a0 On September 4, 2013, the House Natural Resources Committee issued subpoenas to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget for documents the agencies have thus far failed to provide the Committee as it has worked to conduct oversight into this action.\u00a0 More information on the Committee\u2019s oversight efforts can be found at www.naturalresources.house.gov.\r\nWhile the Natural Resources Committee has sought information such as how and why this decision was made, it also has worked to advance a long-term solution that would fulfill the federal government\u2019s promise to rural communities, improve forest management and health, and grow jobs.\u00a0 H.R. 1526, the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, would promote responsible timber production, improve state and local involvement, and provides for an extension of SRS payments to rural counties.\r\nGriffith is an original cosponsor of the Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act, which passed the House today in a vote of 244-173.\u00a0 He also attended a House Natural Resources Committee hearing and spoke on this issue, video of which can be seen here.\u00a0 Similar legislation recently passed the Senate.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://morgangriffith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=350581"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7442827336490154, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}