Request Your Senators Sign-on in Support of Historic Preservation Funding
The appropriations process is underway, which will determine Fiscal Year 2020 funding levels for historic preservation. We are very pleased that Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are once again leading the bipartisan FY20 Senate Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Letter. The letter request $141 million in funding for the HPF, which is the same level Preservation Action advocated for during Advocacy Week and would represent a record level of funding for the HPF. The request includes significant increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, and increases to critically important competitive grant programs. The letter will be submitted to the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee. This marks a strong commitment to the HPF and we can’t thank Senators Cassidy and Gillibrand enough for their continued support and leadership on historic preservation.The House FY20 HPF Dear Colleague Letter saw support from a record level, 130 Representatives. Help us send a similarly strong message in the Senate!
Congress needs to hear from preservationists.
To maximize the impact of the letter, we need as many Senators to sign-on as possible. Urge your Senators to sign-on to the FY20 Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Letter today! Time is of the essence, the deadline for signatures is Wednesday, April 17th at 5:00pm. ET. Request your Senators sign-on to the FY20 Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Letter being circulated by Senators Cassidy and Gillibrand.
How to Contact your Senators
If you have a personal contact in your Senator’s Washington D.C. or state office, contact that person directly. If they do not handle Interior Appropriations please ask that they pass the message along to the Interior Appropriations staffer.
If you don’t have a personal contact you can call your Senator’s DC office and ask to speak with the Interior Appropriations staffer or email your message through the “Contact” section of the member’s website. If you are emailing through the Member’s website please select “Environment” in the Message Subject drop-down menu.
Reach out and let them know who you are and why historic preservation is important to you. Ask your Senators to sign-on to the FY20 Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Letter, being circulated by Senators Cassidy and Gillibrand. Below is a sample message to send to your Senators that you can make your own and include local examples from your state. The deadline for signatures is Wednesday April 17th at 5pm ET.
Sample Letter to Your Senators
“I request that you sign-on to the FY20 Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague letter being circulated by Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in support of funding for the Historic Preservation Fund. The requested amount supports the important work of State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers to administer the federal historic preservation program and continues to support competitive grant programs that help preserve the sites and stories of historically underrepresented communities. The request also includes funding to invest in geographic information systems-based mapping of our historic resources, which would help to expediate project delivery, while avoiding harm to historic resources. The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) uses non-tax payer dollars to partner with States and Tribes to help save important places in your community and brings local voices to the federal decision-making process. Adequate funding for the HPF is essential for recognizing, preserving and utilizing our Nation’s historic resources for all Americans”