Preservation Action Legislative Update
Legislative Update
Volume 25. Number 23
July 22, 2022
1. HOUSE PASSES INTERIOR BILL
2. HOUSE PASSES NHA AND PARKS BILLS
3. ACTION FUND GRANTS ANNOUNCED
4. PASTFORWARD REGISTRATION OPEN
5. STORIES FROM AROUND THE STATES
House Passes Minibus Including Interior Appropriations Bill
This week the House passed six of their 12 appropriations bills, 220-207, as part of a minibus spending package (H.R. 8294). This included the FY23 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bill, which funds the Historic Preservation Fund and other preservation priorities. The bill included $170.825 million for the Historic Preservation Fund, just below the current the FY22 enacted level of $173.072 million, but $19 million over the President's request. Once again the bill notably exceeds the current authorized level of $150 million. The full breakdown for the Historic Preservation Fund is below. 

  • $58.675 million for State Historic Preservation Offices ($1 million over FY22)
  • $23 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices ($7 million over FY22)
  • $26.5 million for Save America's Treasures grants (equal to FY22)
  • $10 million for competitive grants for HBCUs (equal to FY22)
  • $10 million for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants (equal to FY22)
  • $22 million for African-American Civil Rights Movement grants ($250,000 over FY22)
  • $4.75 million for the History of Equal Rights Grant Program ($125,000 over FY22)
  • $3 million for the Semiquincentennial grant program ($7 million below FY22)
  • $1.25 million for Underrepresented Communities grants (equal to FY22)
  • $11.65 million for Community Project Funding ($3.622 below FY22)
Additionally, the bill includes $8.585 million for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, a $330,000 increase over FY22. The bill also funds the Heritage Partnership Program at $29.232 million (a $2.088 million increase over FY22), which helps support National Heritage Areas. The bill's HPF funding included $11.65 million in congressionally directed spending (or Community Project Funding) for historic preservation projects. You can view a complete list of the proposed HPF projects here.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is currently drafting their FY23 Interior funding bill and is expected to release a draft by the end of the month. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland testified before the committee last week. Preservation Action submitted testimony in June, recommending the Committee to support $200 million for the Historic Preservation Fund. Given disagreements between Democrats and Republicans on top line spending numbers, lawmakers will likely need to pass a continuing resolution, extending current funding until after the midterm elections. Preservation Action will continue to monitor the appropriations process and urge Congress to support robust funding for the HPF.
House Passes Public Lands Bills Establishing New National Heritage Areas
This week the House passed nine public lands bills, including three bills that establish new National Heritage Areas and legislation to reauthorize the National Park Foundation.

The House passed the Southern Campaign of the Revolution National Heritage Corridor Act (H.R. 1286), introduced by Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC). This bill would establish a heritage corridor connecting several sites in South Carolina and North Carolina important to the often overlooked southern campaign during the Revolutionary War. The House also passed the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area Act (H.R. 2024), which recognizes the historical significance of the southern Maryland region at the national level, and the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area Act (H.R. 3222) which will help preserve the 19 county region that was the birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement and Voting Rights Movement.

The House also passed the National Park Foundation Reauthorization Act (H.R. 7693). This bill would reauthorize the National Park Foundation through 2030 and increase the annual authorization from $5 million to $15 million. The Park Foundation leverages public funding with private donations and is used to support projects and programs across the National Park Service, including historic preservation projects.

These bills passed with bipartisan support and now move to the Senate for consideration.
National Trust Announces African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund Grants
This week the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced the recipients of $3 million in grants through the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. The grants will support 33 sites and organizations that are helping to preserve Black history. The Action Fund has now supported 160 places with $12.4 million in grants since 2017.

This year's grants will support the protection and preservation of too often overlooked historic sites representing African American history. The grants are broken down across four categories: building capital, increasing organizational capacity, project planning and development, and programming and education.

Learn more about the Action Fund and this year's recipients!
Registration Now Open for National Trust's 2022 PastForward Confernce
Registration is now open for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2022 PastForward Conference. The conference will run from Nov. 1-4, 2022 and once again be entirely online. The conference will feature numerous on-demand sessions starting in October and scheduled sessions and marquee events happening live from Nov. 1-4th. The annual conference continues to be the nation's premier event for those who work to save, sustain, and interpret historic places. Through town hall meetings and happy hour events, the conference will provide ample opportunity to connect with others on topics that matter to you. Register today!

This year's conference theme, Moving From Vision to Action, will explore three themes: Historic Preservation is Climate Action, Encouraging Inclusion and Diversity Through Preservation and Understanding Preservation’s Role in Real Estate Development.

Save the Date for PAF's Annual Auction and Fundraiser!

Preservation Action Foundation is excited to again host our Annual Auction and Fundraiser in conjunction with the Past Forward Conference. This is our largest fundraiser of the year and will include an online Silent Auction throughout the conference, as well as a virtual kick-off event and Live Auction on November 1st. Save the date and stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.
National News
Stories From Around the States
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.