July is always a busy time in Washington as Congress wraps up legislative work ahead of the August Recess. This year was no exception, with a flurry of committee activity and substantial progress on the FY24 spending bills.

Preservation Action's advocacy work continued on two of our biggest legislative priorities, the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R. 1785, S.639) and the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3350). We held several meetings with congressional offices throughout the month, led our July Preservation Advocacy Leaders Meeting and helped lead a coalition sign-on letter in support of the HPF Reauthorization Act. Check out our HTC-GO Alert and HPF Reauthorization Alert to learn more about these important bills and find out how you can TAKE ACTION!

Preservation Action is also urging advocates to take advantage of the upcoming August Recess by inviting your members of Congress to tour a HTC or HPF project or other historic site while they are in-district/state. Inviting your Representative and Senators to see the transformational impact of these programs and funding is one of the most powerful and persuasive tools we have to turn members of Congress into champions of historic preservation. Check out our latest Action Alert to learn more and reach out to your Members' today!

July also marked the kick-off to our Summer Membership Drive! Membership is what powers our efforts to advocate for the critical preservation programs and policies that we depend on. If you rely on the information provided every week in the Legislative Update or our Action Alerts that help you communicate more effectively and easily with your members of Congress, we encourage you to join or renew your membership TODAY! Individual membership starts at just $40.

This week the Senate Appropriations Committee voted unanimously to advance their FY24 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The bill is generally in line with the spending levels agreed to between President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and avoids much of the drastic cuts seen in the House version of the bill. Overall the bill calls for $3.457 billion in funding for the National Park Service, $18.289 million below FY23 enacted levels. The bill funds the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) at $195.166 million, $9.349 less than FY23 enacted levels. It appears the cut reflects a decrease in congressionally directed spending (or earmarks) for HPF projects. The bill includes level funding for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs/THPOs) and important grant programs supported by the HPF. A full breakdown is below.

• $62.15 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $23 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $26.5 million for Save America's Treasures (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $24 million for African American Civil Rights Grants (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $5 million for History of Equal Rights Grants (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $11 million for HBCU preservation grants (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $12.5 million for Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $10 million for the Semiquincentennial grant program (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $1.25 million for Underrepresented Communities grants (equal to FY23 enacted)
• $19.766 million for Congressionally Directed Spending ($9.349 million below FY23 enacted)

Total: $195.166 million ($9.349 million below FY23 enacted levels)

The bill also calls for a one year authorization (at $150 million) for the HPF, which is set to expire on September 30th. Additionally, the bill includes level funding for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation at $8.585 million, and funds the Heritage Partnership Program, which supports National Heritage Areas at $30.882 million, an increase of $1.65 million. The American Battlefield Protection Program is level funded at $20 million.

While we are disappointed in the cut to the HPF, the bill still maintains funding for the State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and important grant programs in a challenging fiscal environment. We are pleased to see inclusion of a one year authorization for the HPF. While we are pushing for a longer term and increased authorization, this is a positive step in avoiding a lapse in authorization. Preservation Action submitted testimony in May requesting $225 million for the HPF, including much-needed support for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and important grant programs. Lawmakers will have very limited time to pass the remaining spending bills when they return from the August Recess in September to keep the government open and have considerable difference to work out between House and Senate bills.

Preservation Action will continue to monitor the appropriations process. Stay tuned for more.

Registration is now open for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2023 PastForward Conference. The annual conference will return to Washington, DC from November 8th - 10th, with a theme of Preserving Place, Empowering Community. This mark's the conference's return to in-person for the first time in four years. With the conference returning to Washington, D.C., there will be additional opportunities to meet your members of Congress and advocate for critical historic preservation programs and policies. The National Trust will host an Advocacy Day on Nov. 7th. Plan to join national and state leaders on this important effort and be sure to select the appropriate checkbox when registering for the conference. Preservation Action is looking forward to working with the National Trust on this important effort. Register TODAY!

SAVE YOUR PLACE: Preservation Action Foundation's Annual Auction and Fundraiser Returns Nov. 8th!

Preservation Action Foundation is excited to announce Save Your Place: PAF's Annual Auction and Fundraiser will return IN-PERSON on Nov. 8th at 7:30pm during the PastForward conference.

Plan to join our party immediately following the conference’s opening reception. Bid on an array of tours and experiences, travel packages, educational opportunities, and one-of-a-kind gift items – all for the great cause of expanding grassroots preservation advocacy through education and outreach. Attendees will be provided with hors d’oeuvres, drinks, entertainment, and our celebratory program with special guest features!

Stay tuned for additional event details and ticket information to be announced in early August. RSVP today and be the first to know when tickets are available!

This week President Biden officially established the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument as America's 425th National Park. The new National Monument includes the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago and the Tallahatchie County Courthouse and Graball Landing in Mississippi. These sites were central in the lynching of Emmett Till in 1955. Till's body was recovered from Graball Landing and the subsequent trial of his murderers, which ended in acquittal, was held at the Tallahatchie County Courthouse. Robert's Temple Church in Chicago was the site of his funeral, where his mother held an open casket visitation. The lynching of Emmett Till shocked the nation and served as a catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement.

This designation culminates a years-long advocacy efforts to memorialize these critical sites and marks an important step in telling a more complete American story. S. 562 was introduced in the Senate earlier this year that would have recognized Robert's Temple Church as a National Historic Site. You can learn more about this designation and join us in thanking President Biden for taking this historic action. Check out the link from our partners at the National Trust for Historic Preservation for more.

ABC News: "Biden Honors Emmett Till and His Mother With New National Monument"

National Park Service: "National Park Service Awards Over $2 Million to Protect 238 Acres at Seven Civil War Battlefields"

New York: "National Park Service Completes Study Evaluating 14 Counties in Central New York State for Potential Inclusion in National Heritage Area System"

Georgia: "Effort to Rehab Historic Building With MLK Ties Moves Forward"