Legislative Update
Volume 25. Number 24
July 29, 2022
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1. ALERT: HTC SITE VISIT DURING RECESS
2. BURIAL GROUNDS BILL ADVANCES
3. GRANTS PRESERVE BLACK CHURCHES
4. STORIES FROM AROUND THE STATES
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Urge Support For the HTC-GO Act & Invite Members of Congress on Site Visits During August Recess |
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Preservation Action is launching an initiative to ramp up advocacy efforts around the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R. 2294, S. 2266) by encouraging every member of Congress to visit a Historic Tax Credit (HTC) during the upcoming summer recess. Members of Congress are scheduled to be back in-district/state from Aug. 1st to Sept. 5th and multiple other times leading up to the November midterm elections. We're asking members and supporters to join us by reaching out out to your Representative and Senators and urge them to co-sponsor the bipartisan Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act and invite them to tour a Historic Tax Credit project in their district/state, especially projects that would be made easier to complete if the HTC-GO Act is enacted.
This is a critical time to reach members of Congress. The enhancements to the Historic Tax Credit included in the HTC-GO Act are needed now, more than ever. Recent National Park Service statistics show that HTC Part 2 applications were down in FY2021 by almost 20% compared to FY2019. The passage of HTC-GO provisions would enable projects to address financing challenges prolonged by a diminished credit value as well as skyrocketing material and labor costs.
Congress is shaping up to have a busy lame-duck session after the midterm elections, including growing demand to address tax credit extenders during this period, which could provide a vehicle to pass improvements to the HTC. The August recess is the best opportunity for lawmakers to see the incredible benefits of the Historic Tax Credit and potential benefits of the HTC-GO Act first-hand. Reach out to your members of Congress today!
Take Action!
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Reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act. If your Representative or Senators have already cosponsored, be sure to thank them! Preservation Action has made it easy for you to take action through our online advocacy tool!
- Invite your members of Congress to tour a completed, in-progress, or potential HTC project in their district/state, prior to the November midterm elections. This is one of most effective ways to demonstrate the value of the HTC. Be sure to also discuss how the HTC-GO could further benefit communities across their district/state. Be flexible with possible dates to meet, but if your member of Congress is unavailable, offer to meet with their staff.
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Review the Congressional site-visit guide put together by our partners at the National Trust Community Investment Corporation and the Historic Tax Credit Coalition to make it easy for advocates to reach out to their lawmakers.
If you need any assistance arranging a site visit or meeting contact Rob Naylor at Preservation Action (rnaylor@preservationaction.org). Also be sure share stories and photos from your site visits with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Resources:
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Senate Committee Advances African American Burial Grounds Bill |
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Last week the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced several public lands bills out of committee, including the African American Burial Grounds Preservation Act (S. 3667, H.R. 6805). This important legislation would establish a $3 million grant program to aid efforts across the country to identify, document, preserve, research, and interpret historic African American burial grounds that have too often been overlooked or neglected. The bill was approved by voice vote and now goes to the full Senate for consideration.
During the hearing the Committee also voted to advance the Frederick Jobs and Historic Preservation Training Center and Land Acquisition Act (S. 2367, H.R. 4494) , which would expand the National Park Service's Historic Preservation Training Center located in Frederick, Maryland to address the growing need for preservation trades training. The Committee also approved the New Philadelphia National Historical Park Act (S. 3141, H.R. 820) which would recognize the first town platted and registered by an African American, Free Frank McWorter, as a unit of the National Park Service.
Preservation Action thanks the Committee for their support and urges the Senate to quickly pass these important bills.
Take action by urging your members of Congress to co-sponsor the bipartisan African American Burial Grounds Act today! Preservation Action has made it easy for you to take action through our online advocacy tool.
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National Trust Announces New Grant Opportunity to Preserve Black Churches |
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This week the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced a new grant program aimed at preserving Black churches and other places of worship through their African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Despite often being at the center of the African American experience, many Black houses of worship face challenges of deferred maintenance, funding, demolition threats and more.
The new $20 million initiative will help historic Black churches and congregations reimagine, redesign, and redeploy historic preservation to address the institutions’ needs and the cultural assets and stories they steward. The program will provide grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 to increase the capacity of historic congregations, organizations, and community groups to better steward, manage and use their historic structures.
Do you know a historic Black church seeking funding to strengthen its capital, staffing and operations? The National Trust is now accepting letters of intent. Letters are due by Sept. 2nd.
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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.
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