Another round of county timber payments and partial funding for the Klamath Basin restoration are included in President Barack Obama's draft budget for next year.

Oregon's congressional delegation applauded the budget, which was released Feb. 13.

"It puts our economic focus where it should be," said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. Merkley praised Obama for including $16.6 million to partially fund implementation of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.

"This agreement is critical to the long-term stability of farmers, ranchers, fishermen and tribes in the basin," Merkley said.

Merkley and Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised Obama for including nearly $300 million for county timber payments next year.

"While getting county payments in the president's budget doesn't guarantee its extension, having the president recognize county payments as a mandatory spending program is a significant step in the right direction," Wyden said.

The county timber payments program expired last year. The program was established by Congress in 2000 to reimburse counties for a decline in federal timber sales.

Obama's budget is expected to be hotly debated in the months leading up to November's general election. It is not expected to pass in its current form.

--Mitch Lies