From Preservation Action:

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved subcommittee funding caps or 302(b) allocations for the FY24 spending bills along a party line, 15-13 vote. These allocation numbers reflect the agreement reached between President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) during the debt ceiling negotiations. The allocations included $37.9 billion for the FY24 Interior and Environment Bill, which includes the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and other preservation priorities. This is $12.5 billion higher than the $25.4 billion for the Interior bill approved in the House.

The difference in top line spending numbers between the House and Senate allocations sets up a larger debate to reach an agreement that can pass both chambers. The House spending numbers would represent a 34.6% cut below enacted levels for the HPF. The HPF is currently funded at $204.5 million and in FY22 was funded at $173.072 million. 

Both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have started holding markups for their spending bills over the last few weeks and are expected to markup their Interior and Environment bills soon. 

Preservation Action is urging Congress to fund the HPF at $225 million, which includes much needed increases for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and critically important grant program. We recently submitted written testimony to the House and SenateAppropriations Committee outlining our support for several programs important to preservation and will continue to track the appropriations process.