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PRESERVATION ACTION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
VOLUME 22, NUMBER 17
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Interior Appropriations Bill Includes Strong Support for Preservation; Passes Appropriations Committee
This week the House Appropriations Committee voted to favorably report the FY20 Interior Appropriations Bill out of committee. The report language of the bill released this week shows strong support for preservation priorities from the committee. The bill calls for $3.39 billion for the National Park Service, and $121.66 million for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), a $19 million increase over FY19 levels and $89 million above the President's request. This includes important increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, increases for the African American Civil Rights Movement and the Save America's Treasures grant programs, and the establishment of a new grant program to recognize and preserve sites associated with civil rights for all Americans. A full breakdown of the HPF funding is below.
SHPOs: $53.675 Million ($4 Million above FY9 Levels)
THPOs: $13.735 Million
($2 Million above FY19 Levels)
African American Civil Rights Grants: $17.5 Million
($3 Million above FY19 Levels)
Civil Rights Movement Grants for All Americans: $5 Million (New Program)
Save America's Treasures: $16 Million
($3 Million above FY19 Levels)
HBCU Preservation Program: $10 Million
($2 Million above FY19 Enacted Levels)
Historic Revitalization Grants: $5 Million
(Equal to FY19 Enacted Levels)
Underrepresented Communities Grants: $750,000
(Equal to FY19 Enacted Levels)
Total: $121.66 Million ($19 Million above FY19 Enacted Levels)
Additionally, the bill included strong report language expressing concerns over the proposed rule changes to the National Register, particularly objecting to the lack of consultation with tribes and other affected parties. The bill also includes $21.998 million for Heritage Partnership program, which supports National Heritage Areas.
The bill includes several of the recommendations Preservation Action made for the HPF during National Preservation Advocacy Week. We want to thank Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) and the entire Interior Subcommittee for their work on this bill. This represents a strong commitment to historic preservation, especially considering the extreme cuts to preservation programs proposed in the administration's budget. The Appropriations Committee approved the FY20 Interior Appropriations bill by a 30-21 vote. The Senate Appropriations Interior Subcommittee held a hearing on the administration's FY20 budget request with Interior Secretary, David Bernhardt this week. We expect a draft of the Senate FY20 Interior Appropriations bill as early as next month. Check out the full House hearing below.
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Legislation to Enhance the Historic Tax Credit Introduced in the House
The Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R 2825) was introduced in the House and would make several changes to improve and enhance the Historic Tax Credit (HTC). The HTC was saved from elimination during last year's tax reform efforts, but was altered, requiring the the tax credit be given over 5 years, reducing the overall value. This important legislation would help to restore some of the value lost from tax reform and improve access to the credit for smaller rehabilitation projects.The bipartisan bill was introduced by Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Terri Sewell (D-AL), and Mike Kelly (R-PA), along with original cosponsors Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Rep. Brian Higgins (D-NY) This bill combines aspects of the HTC Improvement Act and HTC Enhancement Act, both of which were introduced in the 115th Congress.
The HTC Growth and Opportunity Act would eliminate the tax credit basis adjustment, which decreases the value of the HTC. This change would make the HTC more in line with other tax credit programs and help restore some of the value lost by the changes made during tax reform. Additionally, the bill would increase the credit from 20% to 30% and allow for the transfer of credits as a tax certificate, for projects under $2.5 million. These changes would make the credit more appealing and improve access for smaller projects. H.R 2825 was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. We expect similar legislation to be introduced in the Senate in the next few weeks.
Take Action
Urge your Representative to cosponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R 2825) today! If you have a personal contact in your member's Washington D.C. or District office, contact that person directly. Ask them to cosponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act introduced by Representatives Blumenauer and LaHood in the House. You can also check out this easy to use tool from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to ask your member to cosponsor.
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Preservation Action Hosts Preservation Month Congressional Briefing
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(R-L) Erik Hein with NCSHPO, Russ Carnahan with Preservation Action, Jon Bosworth from Rep. Blumenauer's Office. Tom Cassidy with NTHP and Merrill Hoopengardner with NTCIC.
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This week, Preservation Action, in conjunction with the Historic Preservation Caucus, hosted
a Preservation Month Congressional Briefing.
The
briefing featured a panel of top national preservation organizations for a timely discussion of preservation priorities. Merrill Hoopengardner, President of the National Trust Community Investment Corporation, highlighted the introduction of Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act
which will make several important improvements to the Historic Tax Credit aimed at expanding access to the credit for smaller projects and increasing the value of the tax credit. Congressional staff was encouraged to ask their members to cosponsor this important legislation.
Erik Hein, Executive Director of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, and Tom Cassidy, VP of Government Relations and Policy at the National Trust for Historic Preservation led a discussion on funding for key preservation programs, like the Historic Preservation Fund. They talked about the funding levels included in the FY20 House Interior Appropriations Bill, including increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and increases for several important competitive grant programs.
Preservation Action President,
Russ Carnahan
, wrapped up the briefing by urging members to visit a Historic Tax Credit project in their district, to see first-hand the impact these programs have on communities across the country.
Preservation Action greatly appreciates the work of the co-chairs of the Historic Preservation Caucus, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH), and their staff, for helping to put the briefing together. We'd also like to thank our esteemed panel for their participation. You can watch the entire briefing on our Facebook page to learn more about these important issues.
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House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on 14 Public Lands Bills, Including the African American Burial Grounds Network Act
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands held a legislative hearing on 14 bills today. This included the Preserving America's Battlefields Act, which would help preserve and enhance visitor experience at nationally significant battlefields, legislation to establish the Steel Valley National Heritage Area, and a bill to establish a network of African American Burial Grounds, just to name a few of the bills considered by the committee.
Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) and Angela M. Thorpe with the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, testified in support of the African American Burial Grounds Network Act (H.R 1179). P. Daniel Smith, Deputy Director of the National Park Service, testified on the 14 bills under consideration and indicated the administration would not support H.R 1179 due to potential cost associated with establishing such a network, and recommended the the proposed network be studied first. Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) also spoke in support of African American Burial Grounds Network Act during the hearing.
Preservation Action recently
signed-on
in support of the African American Burial Grounds Network Act. This important bill would offer resources to better preserve and document African American burial grounds which have often been neglected. Check out the full
legislative hearing
to learn more about these important bills.
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