Washington, D.C. -- Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today urged Congress to find the resources needed to fully fund the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program. Bennet welcomed the inclusion of $70 million included in the National Defense Authorization Act for PILT but called on Congress to provide more certainty to communities that rely on these resources to provide essential services. The House passed the defense bill earlier today.

"Funding PILT at only a fraction of full funding is a small start, but it is nowhere close to enough. The PILT program supports critical services like schools, fire protection, and road maintenance in communities throughout Colorado. These resources are a lifeline for communities facing shrinking budgets," Bennet said. "Washington has enough self-manufactured crises to deal with. We should not allow PILT funding to become yet another uncertainty we face every year. We need a long-term solution that gives communities confidence they will receive the payments the federal government owes them."

Bennet has been a strong advocate for fully funding the PILT program. He actively pushed essential Senate committees to prioritize PILT funding, and in 2012 the led the fight with Senator Mark Udall in support of PILT and Secure Rural Schools funding. He also cosponsored a Udall bill to permanently fund and authorize the PILT program.

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