From Preservation Action:

This week House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) convened a roundtable titled "Strengthening Historic and Cultural Preservation" and featured a panel of leading historic preservation experts. The roundtable focused on how Congress can better support preservation efforts that help to protect the diverse historic and cultural legacy of all Americans, including tribal communities and other historically underserved communities that have too often been overlooked.

The panel included remarks from Sara Bronin, Chair of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Shaw Sprague, Vice President for Government Relations with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Reno Franklin, Chairman of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Shasta Gaughen, President of the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and Erik Hein, Executive Director of National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. The panelists were joined by several members of Congress, including Rep. Teresa Leger-Fernandez (D-NM), Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA), Rep. Seth Magaziner(D-RI), and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA).

During the wide-ranging discussion, panelists provided several key policy recommendations to strengthen historic preservation efforts throughout the country. This included:

- The urgent need to reauthorize the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), which expired on Sept. 30th
- Support for HPF grant programs that are helping to tell a more complete and diverse history of America 
- Additional funding needs for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers to carry out their federally mandated duties 
- Safeguarding the National Historic Preservation Act 
- The important role of historic preservation in combatting climate change 
- How historic preservation can help address the affordable housing 
- The need to strengthen and and expand the Historic Tax Credit

Preservation Action was very pleased to attend the roundtable and the opportunity to submit written remarks. We appreciate the House Natural Resources Committee Democrats and Rep. Grijalva for organizing this important roundtable and thank all of the participants for their attention to these important issues and their commitment to preserving our historic resources for future generations. You can learn more about the roundtable, watch the full recording, and read the written remarks from the panelists at the link below.

Learn More: https://democrats-naturalresources.house.gov/media/press-releases/grijalva-house-democrats-discuss-importance-of-preserving-the-stories-of-all-americans-with-historic-and-cultural-preservation-experts