PRESERVATION ACTION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
 



LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
VOLUME 23, NUMBER 06
FEBRUARY 14, 2020

President Trump's Budget Request Calls for Dramatic Cuts to the Historic Preservation Fund

The Trump Administration released their annual budget this week and once again the budget calls for dramatic cuts to the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and other preservation priorities. The budget would cut the HPF by $77.988, a 65% cut over FY20 enacted levels, including steep cuts for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and the elimination of important competitive grant programs. The full breakdown of President Trump's request is below.
  • State Historic Preservation Offices: $26.9M ($25.775M below FY20 levels) 
  • Tribal Historic Preservation Offices: $5.7M ($8.035M below FY20 levels)
  • HBCU Preservation Program :  $8 million ($2M below FY20)
The request would eliminate funding for the Civil Rights grant program, the grant program for underrepresented communities, Save America's Treasures, and the Paul Bruhn historic revitalization grant program. The request would also eliminate funding for the Heritage Partnership Program which supports National Heritage Areas. If enacted, these cuts would have a devastating impact on historic preservation across the country.

For the last 3 years Congress has soundly rejected these proposed cuts, and instead passed a record level of funding for the Historic Preservation Fund for three years in a row, including $118.66 million in FY20. Preservation Action will continue to work with Congress to ensure robust funding for the HPF. Preservation Action is submitting testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Committee in support of full funding for the HPF at $150 million. The full breakdown of our request is below.
  • State Historic Preservation Offices: $61 million
  • Tribal Historic Preservation Offices: $22 million
  • African-American Civil Rights Movement Grants: $20 million
  • Civil Rights Grants for All Americans: $8 million
  • Historically Black Colleges and Universities: $10 million
  • Survey Grants for Underrepresented Communities: $1 million
  • Save America's Treasures Grants: $18 million
  • Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grants: $10 million
You can join us in rejecting these proposed cuts and advocating for robust funding for preservation by joining National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week, March 10-12 in Washington, DC. Learn more and register today!
House Appropriations Committee Holds Public Witness Days on the FY21 Budget

Last week the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies held witness hearings to hear from the public on appropriations for FY21. Tom Cassidy, VP of Government Relations at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, presented testimony at the hearing in support of historic preservation priorities and thanked the committee for their continued, strong support of historic preservation. 

The National Parks Conservation Association and the Pew Charitable Trusts also testified at the hearing in support of funding priorities for National Parks, including calling for passage of the Restore Our Parks Act, which was echoed by several committee members.

Preservation Action will submit written testimony to the House and Senate Appropriations Committee in support of preservation priorities including full funding for the Historic Preservation Fund. Stay tuned for the latest as the FY21 appropriations process gets underway in Congress. Learn more and watch the complete hearing.
National Park Service Announces Distribution of $66.4 Million for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices

Last week, the National Park Service announced the distribution of Historic Preservation Fund grants for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs/THPOs). This included $52.7 million for SHPOs and $13.7 million for THPOs. These grants were made available from the year end appropriations bill passed by Congress and signed by the President in December. 

The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) is supported by Outer Continental Shelf oil lease revenue, not tax payer dollars. Since the program began in 1977, the HPF has provided more than $2 billion in essential historic preservation grants. The timely distribution of these funds is critical for SHPOs and THPOs to carry out the critical functions of administering the federal preservation programs at the state and local level.

"The National Park Service is committed to telling a more complete and diverse story of America's history. Historic preservation grants like these, with the support of our state, tribal, and local partners, help us reach that goal by preserving our nation's significant historic and cultural places,"  said NPS Deputy Director David Vela. 

Register for National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week! Early Bird Prices End Today!

Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH) speaking at Advocacy Week 2019
Registration for National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week is now open! Join 250 fellow preservationists, March 10th - 12th in Washington, DC, as we storm the Hill! One of the most effective ways of sharing information with Congress is through direct meetings, and Advocacy Week is our annual opportunity to have a mass impact on opinion leaders and policy makers. Together with a cohesive message in support of preservation-positive legislation we can ensure a strong future for the federal historic preservation program. Lock in the best rates. Early-bird prices end today!


Advocacy Week  registration  includes in-depth training, policy briefings, meetings with elected officials and white papers from an array of preservation and policy professionals. Ticketed events offer additional meetings with elected officials, their staff, and a national network of preservation advocates.

Check out our Advocacy Week to see a preliminary agenda and learn more. Register today!

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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.