PRESERVATION ACTION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
 



LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
VOLUME 22, NUMBER 36
NOVEMBER 01, 2019

Senate Passes Interior Appropriations Bill as Part of 4 Bill Spending Package

This week the Senate passed a FY2020 spending package of 4 appropriations bill including the Senate Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill which funds several preservation priorities. All 4 bills included in the package were passed out of committee with unanimous support. The Senate will no go into conference with the House to resolve the differences between the bills.

The Senate FY20 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill includes $113.16 million for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), an increase of $10.5 million over FY19 enacted levels. This includes important increases for the State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, the Save America's Treasures program, and the Historic Revitalization grant program. While this is below the funding levels seen in the House bill, it still represents a significant increase for the HPF. The bill also includes an increase to $21.994 for the Heritage Partnership Program which supports National Heritage Areas, and fully funds the American Battlefield Protection Program at $10 million. Like the House bill, the Senate bill also has strong report language objecting to the proposed rule changes to the National Register of Historic Places.

The House and Senate will first need to agree to 302(b) allocations which establishes top line spending numbers for each subcommittee. The current Continuing Resolution funds the government through November 21st.
House Natural Resources Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools Bill

Mt. Zion Rosenwald School, South Carolina. Photo Credit Rosenwald National Historical Park Campaign
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands held a legislative hearing on several bills including the Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools Act of 2019 (H.R 3250/S. 1863). Introduced earlier this year by Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study to determine how best to commemorate the incredible life and work of Julius Rosendwald and Rosenwald schools.

During the hearing, Congressman Danny Davis and former National Park Service Director, Robert Stanton, spoke in strong support of this important bill. The hearing marks a critical step in the effort to recognize the sites associated with Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald schools as a National Historical Park. The hearing also included testimony on the Springfield Race Riot National Historic Monument Act, the Chicano Park Preservation Act, the Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture National Historical Park Act, and legislation to adjust the boundary of the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park. 

Preservation Action fully supports this important legislation. To learn more about the effort to recognize the life and legacy of Julius Rosenwald with a special focus on the importance of Rosenwald schools, check out the Campaign to Create the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park.  Reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Julius Rosenwald and the Rosenwald Schools Act today!

House Passes Legislation Protecting Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Grand Canyon National Park From Threats

Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico. Photo Credit NTHP
This week, the U.S House passed the Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act of 2019 (H.R 2181.  S. 1079) and the Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act (H.R 1373). Both bills passed the House with bipartisan support and now move to the Senate for consideration.

The Grand Canyon Centennial Protection Act is aimed at protecting the watershed, ecosystem, and cultural heritage of the Grand Canyon region, which faces threats from uranium mining. The bill would redraw pubic lands boundaries in the area to protect the region from lasting damage and place a permanent moratorium on new mining claims around the National Park.
The Chaco Cultural Heritage Area Protection Act calls for the withdrawal of federal lands around Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, from future oil and gas leasing and mineral development. Chaco Canyon and the surrounding landscape contains irreplaceable cultural resources from the Chacoan culture, including ceremonial buildings and distinctive great houses.

Preservation Action joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation and 46 other organizations and tribes in sending a  letter to the New Mexico congressional delegation in strong support of the Chaco Cultural Heritage Protection Act..

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Preservation Action is the only national  non-profit dedicated exclusively to lobbying for the best preservation policies at the federal level. We seek to make historic preservation a national priority by advocating to all branches of government through a grassroots constituency empowered with information and training.