Category: Legislative Update

As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 50th anniversary of the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), we’re urging Congress to invest in the places that tell our nation’s story by providing $250 million for the HPF.

Champions in the House are currently circulating the FY27 Dear Colleague Letter in support of the HPF. The co-chairs of the Historic Preservation Caucus, Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM) are leading the House letter. Stay tuned for details on a Senate letter coming soon!

This bipartisan letter requests $250 million in funding for the Historic Preservation Fund, the same level Preservation Action and advocates from around the country advocated for during National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week. The letter urges robust funding for State Historic Preservation Offices at $70 million, $34 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, includes $25 million for digitization of state and Tribal records to accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure projects, $13 million for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities preservation grant program, and $108 million for six existing preservation grant programs.

To maximize the impact of the letter, we need as many members of Congress to sign-on as possible. We’ve made it easy for you to take action, check out our Action Alert below to learn more and easily reach out to your members of Congress TODAY!

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House

• The House letter is being led by Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM).
• Signatures due: Wednesday March 18, 2026 at 4:00 pm ET
• If you have a personal contact in your Representative’s office, contact that person directly, especially if you recently met with their office during Advocacy Week, and urge them to sign-on to the House FY27 HPF dear colleague letter. If they do not handle Interior Appropriations please ask that they pass the message along to the Interior Appropriations staffer.
• Interested offices can sign-on via the Quill link (internal House use only) or by contacting Katherine Schiller with Rep. Turner’s office at katherine.schiller@mail.house.gov or Alan Rojas-Rodriguez with Rep. Leger Fernandez’s office at alan.rojasrodriguez@mail.house.gov.
• If you do not have a personal contact, check out Preservation Action’s action campaign to easily personalize and send a letter to your Representative today!

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Senate

• The Senate letter will be led by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
• Details on a Senate letter are expected soon. Stay tuned for more!

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Additional Materials

• Advocacy Week One Pager: Fund the HPF
• Advocacy Week One Pager: SHPO & THPO

Preservation Action, on behalf of more than 300 organizations, businesses, agencies, and other entities representing 46 states and the District of Columbia, submitted a bipartisan sign-on letter to the House Natural Resources Committee urging Congressional action to renew the long-term authorization of annual deposits to the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).

For nearly 50 years, the HPF has been the primary federal funding source supporting state and tribal preservation offices who carry out the federal preservation program, competitive grant programs, and community revitalization efforts across the country. 

Unfortunately, the HPF’s authorization expired in 2024, undermining the importance of the HPF and putting vital preservation work at risk. Reauthorizing the HPF ensures continued funding and long-term stability for the communities, tribes, and states whose work depends on it. The bipartisan Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3418), introduced by Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-NM), would reauthorize the HPF for 10 years and increase the authorized level from $150 million to $250 million annually.

If you missed the deadline, you can still add your organization, business, or entity to the sign-on letter. We will continue to collect signatures and keep the letter updated. Learn more below.

Group Sign-on Letter to Reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund (updated 11/07/25)

Add Your Organization/Business/Entity to the HPF Reauthorization Sing-on Letter Today!

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a committee hearing to “examine the Section 106 consultation process under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA).” Preservation Action along with several of our national partners attended and worked to educate members of the Committee ahead of the hearing on the importance of the NHPA and effectiveness and efficiency of the Section 106 process.

Thank you to everyone that took action! It is clear your advocacy had an impact. We will continue to educate members of Congress on the importance of NHPA and push back on any attempts to weaken this critical law.

Preservation Action submitted written testimony for the record. You can review our testimony and watch the full hearing at the links below. Stay tuned for more!

Preservation Action Written Testimony on Senate Hearing Examining Section 106

Full Committee Hearing to Examine the Section 106 Consultation Process Under the National Historic Preservation Act

1. House Appropriations Committee Releases Interior Funding Bill and Holds Subcommittee Markup

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

3. Advocates Meet With Congress During Historic Tax Credit Advocacy Day

4. Stories From Around the States

Legislative Update: June 28, 2024 →

1. ACHP Chair Submits Letters Urging Congress to Reject Provisions in 15 Bills that Exempt Section 106 Review

2. Underrepresented Communities and African American Civil Rights Grants Now Accepting Applications

3. Last Chance: Complete Preservation Action’s Grassroots Network Survey!

4. Stories From Around the States

Legislative Update: June 07, 2024 →