This week the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee released their FY25 House Interior Appropriations Bill, which includes funding for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and other preservation priorities, and held the Subcommittee Markup for the bill. The bill includes $168.9 million for the Historic Preservation Fund, $19.76 million below FY24 enacted levels. Importantly, the bill also includes a 1 year authorization for the HPF, until 2025, which is set to lapse in September without congressional action. Funding levels for the HPF are listed below. We expect additional details in the coming days on funding levels for specific programs in the HPF.

• $85.15 million for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (same as FY24)
• $25.5 million for Save America's Treasures (same as FY24)
• $30.25 million for Competitive Grants (same as FY24)
• $10 million for Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants (same as FY24)
• $11 million for HBCU preservation grants (same as FY24)
• $7 million for the Semiquincentennial grant program (same as FY24)
• Congressionally Directed Spending for HPF projects not included ($19.76M below FY24)

While we are still waiting on final numbers, the bill appears to include level funding for the State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and critically important grant programs. The bill was approved by the subcommittee by a voice vote and will now move to be considered by the full Appropriations Committee before moving to the House floor. The Senate has yet to release their FY25 Interior Appropriations bill.

We appreciate the Committee including 1 year authorization of the HPF, which would help avoid an unnecessary and harmful lapse, but a longer term authorization is needed. Additionally, we recognize the difficult budget year, but are disappointed by the cut to the HPF. As noted in our testimony, Preservation Action is continuing to urge Congress to support $225 million for the HPF, including much-needed increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, as SHPOs and THPOs continue to face staffing challenges and increased workloads, and increases for important grants programs, many of which are helping to tell a more diverse and inclusive American story.

Preservation Action will continue to monitor the appropriations process. Stay tuned for more.

Nearly 100 Members of Congress Sign-on to Bipartisan Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Letter

This year 93 bipartisan Senators and Representatives, representing 34 different states and territories, signed on to the FY25 House Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Dear Colleague letter and the FY25 Senate HPF Dear Colleague letter. The letters requested $225 million in funding for the Historic Preservation Fund, the same level Preservation Action advocated for during Historic Preservation Advocacy Week, including much-needed increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and critically important competitive grant programs. The letters request the following funding levels for the HPF:

• $70 million for State Historic Preservation Offices
• $40 million for Save America's Treasures
• $34 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices
• $28 million for the African American Civil Rights grant program
• $17 million for Paul Bruhn grants
• $13 million for HBCU preservation grants
• $11 million for the Semiquincentennial grant program
• $7 million for the History of Equal Rights Grant program
• $5 million for Underrepresented Communities Grants

The letters also noted the urgent need to reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund. The House letter was led by the co-chairs of the Historic Preservation Caucus, Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), while the Senate letter was again led by Sen. Kirstin Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA). The letters were submitted to the House and Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee last month and show substantial support for the Historic Preservation Fund.

Thank you to everyone that reached out to their members of Congress and urged them to sign-on in support of a record funding for the Historic Preservation Fund. Preservation Action would especially like to thank Reps. Turner and Blumenauer and Sens. Gillibrand and Cassidy for their efforts on these letters and continued leadership on historic preservation!

Did your Representative and Senators sign-on? Be sure to thank them! Check out the Action Alert on our website to learn more and see a complete list of signers.

The Historic Tax Credit Coalition and National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC) hosted their annual Historic Tax Credit advocacy day earlier this month, coinciding with the IPED Historic Tax Credit Summit. HTC stakeholders and advocates from across the country met with more than 60 congressional offices and urged them to support efforts to strengthen and modernize the HTC by supporting the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R. 1785, S. 639). Thanks to these efforts, the HTC-GO Act has picked up several new co-sponsors.

The HTC Coalition also hosted a congressional reception after a day of successful hill visits. The reception featured remarks from the co-chair of the Historic Preservation Caucus, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The Preservation Action team was excited to participate in this important effort.

Take Action!

For the HTC-GO Act to be well positioned to take advantage of future legislative opportunities, we need to demonstrate the bill's broad, bipartisan support. It's critical for preservation advocates to continue to express their support for the HTC-GO to your members of Congress. Urge your members of Congress to cosponsor and support the HTC-GO Act TODAY!

Washington Post : "Preservationist Helps Black Families Save Key Civil Rights Sites in the South"

Ohio: "Governor DeWine Announces State Support for 35 Historic Preservation Projects"

Pennsylvania: "'Woefully Behind': PA Advocates Hope More Support for Historic Revitalization is Part of the State's Budget"

Connecticut: "Connecticut Lawmakers Aim to Expediate Historic Redevelopments Through Special Session"