Author: Rob Naylor

The August congressional recess is just around the corner. Preservation Action encourages you to ramp up your advocacy efforts around the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R. 1785), S. 639) and Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3350) by encouraging your members of Congress to visit a HTC project, HPF project, or historic site. Members of Congress are scheduled to be back in-district/state from July 29th to Sept. 4th. We’re asking members and supporters to reach out to your Representative and Senators and invite them to tour a Historic Tax Credit project or other historic site in their district/state. Be sure to encourage them to support and cosponsor the HTC-GO Act and HPF Reauthorization Act.

Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) touring the Old City Hall in Tacoma, WA

The August recess is the best opportunity for lawmakers to see the incredible benefits of the Historic Tax Credit and Historic Preservation Fund first-hand. If your Representative or Senators serve on the House Ways and Means Committee, Senate Finance Committee, House Natural Resources Committee or Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, these members are especially important to contact. Reach out to your members of Congress today!

Take Action!

• Reach out to your members of Congress and urge them to cosponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act and Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act. Preservation Action has made it easy for you to take action. Check out our HTC-GO Action Alert and HPF Reauthorization Action Alert to learn more!
• Invite your members of Congress to tour a completed, in-progress, or potential HTC project or other historic site in their district/state. This is one of most effective ways to demonstrate the value of the HTC and HPF. Be sure to also discuss how the HTC-GO could further benefit communities across their district/state and how HPF helps to administer these programs. Be flexible with possible dates to meet, but if your member of Congress is unavailable, offer to meet with their staff. Be persistent. Sometimes it will take multiple touches.
• Review the Congressional site-visit guide put together by our partners at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Trust Community Investment Corporation 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:

• Historic Tax Credit One Pager- Preservation Month
• Historic Preservation Fund One Pager- Preservation Month
• HTC State Maps and Project Lists
• National Preservation Organizations Release in Support
• Preservation Action HTC-GO Action Alert
• Preservation Action HPF Reauthorization Action Alert