|
PRESERVATION ACTION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
|
|
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
VOLUME 22, NUMBER 05
|
|
|
|
Register for National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week! Important Deadlines Approaching
Important Deadlines Approaching
Important Advocacy Week deadlines are quickly approaching. Book your Advocacy Week hotel! Our special room rates at the Kimpton Hotel Palomar ends on Thursday, Feb. 14th. Make your reservations today by calling 202-448-1872 using room block code "NCSHPO March 2019".
Also be sure to complete your Advocacy Week 2019 registration today! Lock in the best prices, rates increase starting Feb. 15th.
Advocacy Week registration includes in-depth training, policy briefings, meetings with elected officials and white papers from an array of preservation and policy professionals. Ticketed events offer additional meetings with elected officials, their staff, and a national network of preservation advocates.
Check out our
Advocacy Week
page for more information.
Advocacy Scholars Program
Do you know of any students or recent graduates who are exceptional preservation advocates? Urge them to apply for Preservation Action Foundation's Advocacy Scholars program. The program highlights the importance of training and educating the next generation of preservation advocates. We are pleased to offer a limited number of competitive scholarships that invites scholars to attend and fully participate in Historic Preservation Advocacy Week.
The deadline for submissions is today, February 8th. Apply today!
|
President Trump Nominates David Bernhardt as Secretary of the Interior
 This week, President Trump has nominated David Bernhardt to be the next Secretary of the Interior. David Bernhardt became the Interior deputy director in 2017 and has served as the interim director since former Secretary Ryan Zinke's resignation at the end of last year.
"I am pleased to announce that David Bernhardt, Acting Secretary of the Interior, will be nominated as Secretary of the Interior." President Trump tweeted Monday. "David has done a fantastic job from the day he arrived, and we look forward to having his nomination officially confirmed!"
Prior to the Trump administration, David Bernhardt served in multiple positions at Interior during the Bush Administration, from 2001-2009, including solicitor. He's previously worked as a lawyer and lobbyist for the fossil fuel industry. Bernhardt is from Colorado, continuing the tradition of the secretary being from the west. Preservation Action was pleased to have then Deputy Director Bernhardt, speak during National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week in 2017. Bernhardt's nomination now moves to the Senate to be confirmed.
|
|
Negotiators Continuing Discussions on Border Security to Avert Another Government Shutdown on Feb 15th
A bipartisan group of Senate and House members will continue negotiations on funding for border security and specifically the proposed border wall, into the weekend, as they work to avoid another government shutdown. Several negotiators remained optimistic that a deal could be reached before the current 3 week continuing resolution ends on Feb 15th. Even if members of congress are able to reach an agreement, there is still a question on whether or not
President Trump will support the agreement.
Several parts of the federal government, including the Department of Interior, remain unfunded past Feb. 15th. During the partial government shutdown, the House approved multiple FY19 appropriations bills, including Interior funding bills. The
Interior Appropriations portion of H.R 648
funded the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) at $102.66 million, a $5.75 million increase over FY18's historic level of funding. The funding levels included in the bill were the result of the negotiations between last year's House and Senate versions of the bill.
It remains to be seen if the funding levels included in H.R 648 could be part of final deal. Preservation Action will continue to monitor, as the potential for another government shutdown looms.
|
Lawmakers Expected to Introduce Legislation to Expand and Improve Pennsylvania's Historic Tax Credit
Lawmakers are expected to introduce legislation in the Pennsylvania
House and
Senate that would expand, improve and extend the state's historic tax credit program. The legislation would increase the annual cap on the program from $3 million to $30 million and the per-project cap from $500,000 to $2.5 million. The proposal would also reauthorize the program, which is due to sunset in 2020, for another 10 years until 2030.
Since the tax credit was established in 2012, it has helped to rehabilitate historic properties across the state, creating jobs and revitalizing communities. Advocates argue the proposed changes would allow the program to have an even greater impact and would keep the credit competitive with other nearby states, many of which have a more robust historic tax credit program.
|
|
|
|
|
