S. 2861: A bill to amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to clarify the prohibition on the use of certain Federal funds for lobbying, and for other purposes.

116th Congress · introduced 2019-11-14 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-11-14 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A bill to amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to clarify the prohibition on the use of certain Federal funds for lobbying, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill prohibits the use of county funds distributed under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 for (1) any expenses related to lobbying, or (2) any activity that is to influence a state or federal lawmaker. Currently, the funds are authorized to be used for activities such as emergency services on federal land or wildfire protection. The Forest Service, in coordination with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), must promulgate regulations that provide guidance to participating counties on the appropriate use of county funds. The Forest Service and the BLM each must publish such guidance on a public website. Each participating county shall submit to the Department of Agriculture or the Department of the Interior an annual report that includes a description of how the county used its county funds.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to amend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 to clarify the prohibition on the use of certain Federal funds for lobbying, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] reported raising $1.9 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s2861.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s2861 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116