In the face of proposed cuts, we need your help to ensure historic preservation priorities receive necessary funding! The appropriations process is getting underway in Congress which will determine funding levels for historic preservation priorities for the next fiscal year. The Trump Administration released their skinny budget earlier this month which proposed nearly eliminating the Historic Preservation Fund entirely. Thankfully bipartisan majorities in Congress have consistently shown strong support for historic preservation, but they need to hear from you.
Champions in the House are currently circulating the FY26 Dear Colleague Letter in support of the Historic Preservation Fund. 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!
The letter request $225 million in funding for the Historic Preservation Fund, the same level Preservation Action advocated for during Historic Preservation Advocacy Week. The letters note the important work that State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices do across the country, and highlight preservation projects that are made possible through seven 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: COB Thursday May 15, 2025
- 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 HPF dear colleague letter. If they do not handle Interior Appropriations please ask that they pass the message along to the Interior Appropriations staffer. Preservation Action has also made it easy for you take action. Check out our action campaign to easily personalize and send a letter to your Representative today!
Details on a Senate letter are expected soon. Stay tuned for more.