National Park Service Deputy Director, Daniel Smith, Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee
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Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) speaking during Preservation Advocacy Week 2019 |
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This week the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee held a hearing on the administration's budget request. P. Daniel Smith, Deputy Director and current Acting Director of the National Park Service (NPS), Margaret Everson, Principal Deputy Director of the Fish and Wildlife Service, and Dr. Jim Reilly, Director of the U.S Geological Survey, testified before the subcommittee. They answered questions from committee members about the administration's proposed budget, which requested a 12% cut to the Department of Interior, and a nearly 70% cut to the Historic Preservation Fund.
Members from both parties expressed concern over cuts to historic preservation programs. House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member, David Joyce (R-OH) questioned Deputy Director Smith about the proposed elimination of the Heritage Partnership Program, which funds National Heritage Areas, in spite of 6 new NHAs being established this year. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) questioned him about the proposed elimination of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities preservation grant program. Deputy Director Smith said the primary focus in the budget was maintaining our National Parks and grant programs were secondary to that.
At the hearing, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Chairwoman of the House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, also highlighted the significant cuts to the Historic Preservation Fund proposed in the President's budget. She cited the elimination of the Save America's Treasures program, the African American Civil Rights grant program, and the Historic Revitalization grant program.
Despite the extreme cuts proposed by the Trump Administration, Congress has continued to show strong support for historic preservation over the last few years. Stay tuned to Preservation Action's weekly Legislative Update for the latest on the budget process.
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