Congress has enacted a one-year extension of federal timber payments that will distribute $346 million to 700 rural counties in 41 states.
After the vote Friday, lawmakers said their focus is shifting to finding a long-term solution to the issue of generating more revenue for counties dominated by federal lands.
Oregon Republican Rep. Greg Walden says supporters of a bill that would increase logging on the so-called O&C lands in Western Oregon are still working on getting a favorable Congressional Budget Office rating for it. That's needed before it can come to the House floor for a vote.
Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden says he does not yet know what the solution will look like, but he plans to talk about the issue with people in timber country.
