Over the Memorial Day weekend, President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced they had reached an agreement to raise the debt ceiling. The final deal, introduced as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, suspends the debt ceiling until Jan. 1, 2025, pushing it after the next election, and freezes non-Defense discretionary funding at FY22 levels for two years. According to the White House, after certain adjustments to appropriations are made, funding for FY24 will remain essentially flat and increase by 1% in 2025. After that, the agreement set targets to limit spending to 1% annual growth for six years. The final bill passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support, in spite of significant opposition from several Republicans and Democrats. This clears the way for the President's signature ahead of the anticipated default deadline of June 5th.

The agreement also included provisions aimed at reforming federal permitting. The bill included new measures related to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), including designating a single lead agency and requiring agencies to complete environmental reviews in 1-2 years. The bill did not include provisions related to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) or section 106. These changes are viewed by many as a first step in a larger permitting reform package. Preservation Action objected to provisions included in H.R. 1 that would have undermined the NHPA and will continue to monitor legislative efforts that could undercut key protections for historic and cultural resources.

The debt ceiling agreement helps to clear the way for the appropriations process by setting top line spending numbers. The House and Senate Appropriations Committee will likely start holding mark-up hearings for spending bills over the next few weeks, including funding for the Historic Preservation Fund and other programs important to preservation. Preservation Action recently submitted testimony to the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee in support of $225 million for the HPF and will continue advocating for much-needed funding that supports historic preservation priorities.

Attention all historic preservation advocates! Mark your calendars for March 4-7, 2024, and join us in Washington D.C. for National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week. Hosted by Preservation Action and the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers, Preservation Advocacy Week is the perfect opportunity to unite with like-minded individuals and advocate for the critical programs and policies that help preserve of our nation's historic resources.

Advocacy Week 2024 will feature in-depth preservation policy trainings and briefings, exclusive tours, networking opportunities, and of-course the chance to meet with your members of Congress directly. Don't miss out on this chance to make a difference and be a part of the preservation movement!

Save the Date and stay tuned for more information!

Last week, The National Park Service announced $21 million in African American Civil Rights grants. Funded through the Historic Preservation Fund, the African American Civil Rights grant program supports the preservation of sites and history associated with the African American struggle for equal rights.

This year's funding will support 37 projects in 16 states. Projects include the Ashbury Theatre in Atlanta, GA which was built in 1934 as a state of the art theatre for African Americans. And the preservation and rehabilitation of the Eliza Freeman House, which was built in 1848 in what became known as little Liberia, a neighborhood of Bridgeport, CT that was settled by free Blacks starting in the early 1800s.

The next round of funding will provide $24 million in grants, applications are expected to open this summer. Preservation Action is urging Congress to increase support for this important program from $24 million to $28 million in FY24.

This week, Gov. Tim Walz signed budget legislation into law that reinstated Minnesota's Historic Tax Credit program. The credit lapsed last year after the Legislature failed to renew the program. The bill extends the credit through June 30, 2030 and makes the credit retroactive for projects that started after July 1, 2022. The state's HTC provides a 20% credit toward qualified rehabilitation expenses with no annual cap. This is great news for preservationists who have been advocating for this important program for years.

According to an annual economic impact analysis, since the program's inception in 2010, Minnesota's HTC has generated nearly $6 billion in economic activity, created over 29,000 jobs, and rehabilitated more than 170 historic buildings. According to the report, for every $1 invested in the program, it generates $10 in economic activity.

Congratulations to all of the preservation advocates in Minnesota, especially RevitalizeMN and Rethos, whose tireless advocacy helped get this across the finish line.

National Park Service: "National Park Service Awards More than $3.4 Million in Grants to Preserve and Interpret World War II Japanese Confinement Sites"

Minnesota: "Restored Historic Tax Credit Will Help Duluth Restore Buildings"

Kentucky: "New Fund Provides Low Interest Loans to Help Rehabilitate Neglected Historic Homes in Louisville"

Utah: "Discovering Utah History by Preserving Japanese Headstones"

California: "Could San Francisco Become America's First City With UNESCO World Heritage Status?"