Rep. Jeff Hurd, U.S. Representative for Colorado’s 3rd congressional district, announced the passage of two significant pieces of legislation through his official Twitter account this week. Hurd highlighted the advancement of his Jurisdictional Determination Backlog Reduction Act as part of the broader PERMIT Act and noted House approval of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act.
On December 11, 2025, Hurd stated, “Today my bill, the Jurisdictional Determination Backlog Reduction Act, passed the House as part of the PERMIT Act! This legislation:
Clears a backlog of 3,500+ requests to determine if projects need federal water permits
Requires the Army Corps to speed up the approval”.
He reiterated these points in a subsequent post on December 12, 2025: “Washington delays cost real money in #CO03.
My Jurisdictional Determination Backlog Reduction Act passed the House through the PERMIT Act. It clears a 3,500-case Army Corps backlog that’s been holding up farms, ranches, and infrastructure.
Less red tape. Faster answers.”
In another message on December 12, Hurd addressed rural funding issues: “This week, the House passed the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act. Since SRS expired, rural counties across #CO03 have been forced to cover essential services with far fewer resources. Last night, we made real progress toward restoring that support. Hear my full statement”.
The Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program provides critical funding to rural counties that have large amounts of federally owned land and therefore limited property tax bases to fund local services such as schools and roads. The expiration of SRS had placed additional financial strain on many communities in Colorado’s 3rd district and elsewhere.
The Jurisdictional Determination Backlog Reduction Act aims to address lengthy delays in project approvals by requiring faster processing by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for determinations on whether projects require federal water permits—a process often cited as an obstacle for agricultural producers and infrastructure development.
Both legislative actions reflect ongoing efforts by Rep. Hurd and other lawmakers to streamline regulatory processes and restore federal support for rural areas impacted by lapses in established funding programs.
