Washington, DC – Today Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore), a member of the Budget Committee, announced a new opportunity to extend funding for county payments in the House Budget. Released this morning, the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget includes a reserve fund to reauthorize county payments, so long as there is an offset in the legislation. A reserve fund by definition is a provision in a budget resolution that authorizes the chairman of the House or Senate Budget Committee to adjust the aggregate levels of revenue and spending in the budget resolution, and the spending allocations made to committees if a specified legislative action occurs.

“This is a fast-moving legislative train,” said Congressman Blumenauer. “I was pleased to see tentative legislation in the Senate that would build on what the House has done to provide longer term protection for county payments. We have worked to make sure the House Budget Resolution provides the capacity to accommodate what the Senate might do. By leaving room to reauthorize the county payments program, we are taking a first step in finding a solution to a long-term problem.”

Congressman Blumenauer is a member of the Budget Committee, as well as the Committee on Ways and Means and the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.