Category: News

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Urge Your Members of Congress to Sign-on to the FY27 Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Letter

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!

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!
Take Action!

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!

Additional Materials

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Over 300 Organizations Sign-on to Letter Urging Congress to Reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund

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!

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Preservation Action Submits Testimony in Response to Senate Hearing Examining Section 106

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

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Sign-on to Organizational Letter in Support of Historic Preservation Fund Reauthorization

UPDATE: The group sign-on letter was submitted to the House Natural Resources Committee on November 5, 2025. We received signatures from more than 300 organizations, businesses, agencies, and other entities from across the country. Thank you to everyone that signed on!

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.

Calling all historic preservation advocates!

Preservation-minded organizations and companies: Add your name to this bipartisan letter urging Congress to reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).

While the letter was submitted to the House Natural Resources Committee on November 05, 2025, we are continuing to collect signatures and will keep the letter open to demonstrate the broad support to reauthorize the HPF. If you missed the deadline, you can still review the letter and add your organization/agency/company/entity to the bipartisan letter by completing the form at the link below. Help us spread the word by sharing with your networks. Individuals looking to support this effort are encouraged to reach out to your local, state, and national contacts and ask them to sign!

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. The HPF protects the places that tell America’s shared stories.

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.

In 2026 we will commemorate America’s 250th anniversary as well as the 60th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act and the 50th anniversaries of both the Historic Preservation Fund and the Historic Tax Credit program. The time has come for the federal government to renew its commitment to preserve, enhance, and promote the history of our great nation by reauthorizing the Historic Preservation Fund.

Join the call — sign the letter today!

HPF Reauthorization Organizational Sign-on Letter

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Invite Your Members of Congress to Tour a Historic Preservation Project During the August Recess

The August congressional recess is officially underway. Members of Congress are scheduled to be back in-district/state through the the entire month of August and Labor Day until Sept. 1st. Lawmakers will again be in recess the last week of September. This is great time to reach out to your Representative and Senators and invite them to visit a Historic Tax Credit project or historic site.

Unfortunately, long overdue improvements to the Historic Tax Credit (HTC), called for in the HTC Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R. 2941, S. 1459), were not included as part of the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill”. As advocates are recalibrating and looking at potential next steps, it’s crucial we start building broader and deeper support for these much-needed improvements to the HTC. This will help ensure the provisions included in HTC-GO are well positioned to be enacted as part of a future legislative vehicle.

The August recess is the best opportunity for lawmakers to see the incredible benefits of the Historic Tax Credit and potential benefits of the HTC-GO Act first-hand. Inviting members of Congress to see the impact of the of the HTC and preservation programs in-person is one of the most powerful and effective advocacy tools we have. If your Representative or Senators serve on the House Ways and Means Committee or Senate Finance 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 (H.R. 2941, S. 1459). If your Representative or Senators have already cosponsored, be sure to thank them! Preservation Action has made it easy for you to take action through our online advocacy tool! 
  • 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 Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). Be sure to also discuss how the HTC-GO could further benefit communities across their district/state, and how support for the HPF helps make it possible. 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 Arranging a Congressional site-visit guide put together by our partners at the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Historic Tax Credit Coalition and the 5 Tips for Successful Site Visits to learn more about arranging a site visit.

If you need any assistance or need contact information for the scheduler in your members of Congress’s office, 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 LinkedIn!

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