From Preservation Action:

This week, the House and Senate passed and President Biden signed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that extends current funding levels to Dec. 20th. Lawmakers have yet to pass funding bills for fiscal year 2025 and were facing a September 30th deadline before funding would have run out, forcing a government shutdown. The CR extends funding past the November elections and provides more time for Congress to negotiate FY25 spending bills.

The CR also included an extension of disaster relief funding through the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), allowing disaster-related historic preservation projects to continue in Puerto Rico, the U.S Virgin Islands, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Texas. Congress passed a supplemental appropriation for disaster relief in 2018, which included $50 million through the HPF to assist historic resources in the recovery. Without the extension, work on critical historic preservation projects would have halted. The extension was included in the President's request and in the FY25 House Interior Appropriations bill. Preservation Action appreciates the bipartisan support in Congress to extend this important funding.

Overall, the CR gives lawmakers more time to finalize FY25 spending bills, including determining funding levels for preservation priorities. The House Interior Appropriations bill, which passed the House in July, included $168.9 million for the HPF, $19.76 million below FY24 enacted levels. While the Senate Interior Appropriations bill, which cleared committee in July, included $182.775 million for the HPF, $5.891 million below enacted levels. Importantly, both bills included a 1 year authorization for HPF. 

As Congress continues negotiations on funding levels for FY25, Preservation Action will continue to advocate for much-needed funding for the HPF and other preservation priorities and look for ways grassroots advocates to engage with lawmakers. Stay tuned for more!