In this very tight budget year, the government is looking to cut spending.   However, please read the following as these cuts are small, based on the overall budget, but reflect SIGNIFICANT reductions in areas that could impact the preservation of our history and the means to gain expertise and advise from the state historic preservation offices all over the country.  If you have friends in other states represented by the members listed below, please forward this to them so that they too might contact their representatives.  This is important for citizen all over the United States to speak up about saving our history.

------ Forwarded Message
From: Heather MacIntosh <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 10:08:31 -0400
To: Heather MacIntosh <[log in to unmask]>
Conversation: Tell Your House Appropriator: This Isn't Good Enough
Subject: Tell Your House Appropriator: This Isn't Good Enough

Preservation Action Members --

The cost of living has increased. The cost of doing business has increased. So has the cost of development and construction.

Even so, the House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies last week recommended level funding for core programs established in the National Historic Preservation Act and substantially reduced funding for Save Americas Treasures and Preserve America. The total Historic Preservation Fund recommendation (thus far) is $58.6 million. That constitutes an overall reduction of about 20% from last year.   

Level funding for State Historic Preservation Officers ($35.717 million) represents a real decrease in spending on project review AND the administration of the federal historic preservation tax credit program, which leverages billions of dollars in private investment every year.

Underfunding core preservation programs is a disservice to our communities who rely on the professionalism, expertise and small grants provided by our State Historic Preservation Offices. Level funding for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices represents a decrease each year as more tribal offices are established ($3.941 million recommended). Save America's Treasures, the only bricks and mortar federal grant program dedicated to rehabilitating the nation's most significant resources has been substantially reduced -- the House recommends no competitive grant funds ($15 million total recommended). Preserve America funding is recommended for $3 million, $2 million less than last year's appropriation.

SCAN THE LIST BELOW!

If one of these Representatives represents you -- represent preservation's best interests and contact them before the May 10 full Interior Appropriations committee mark up. Let them know that you understand this is a difficult budget year, and that you support responsible spending. Cutting back on basic programs that:

     •     facilitate informed development in our  communities (professional project review)  
     •     leverage billions of dollars in private  investment  
     •     facilitate economic develop through  heritage tourism


means we all lose. Reducing funding for review means slower review. Slower review drags economic development. The federal government provides just a sliver of funding for preservation -- most comes from other sources. This very important sliver represents the federal commitment to protecting our shared heritage. We can't do more with less.

Ask your Representative to take the long view, and support State Historic Preservation Offices and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices by not cutting any more from these programs. Grants for preservation are few and far between -- if you live in a community with a Save America's Treasures project, especially one that received competitive funds -- remind your Representative. The competitive grants make a difference. Restore them (SAT received $30 million total last year).
And Preserve America communities ... you all need to speak out! This year was the first year Preserve America got an appropriation. Do we want to see these grants cut before they have time to bear fruit? Ask your appropriator to restore this program funding (it received $5 million last year), don't cut it.

(cut and paste the URL for your Representative into your browser for contact info)


Jerry Lewis, CA (R - Chairman) http://www.house/jerrylewis <http://www.house/jerrylewis> / <http://www.house/jerrylewis>

David R. Obey, WI (D - Ranking Member) http://www.house.gov/obey/ <http://www.house.gov/obey/>
C. W. Bill Young, FL (R) http://www.house.gov/young/ <http://www.house.gov/young/>
John P. Murtha, PA (D) http://www.house.gov/murtha/ <http://www.house.gov/murtha/>
Ralph Regula, OH (R)  http://www.house.gov/regula/ <http://www.house.gov/regula/>
Norman D. Dicks, WA (D) http://www.house.gov/dicks/ <http://www.house.gov/dicks/>
Harold Rogers, KY (R) http://www.house.gov/rogers/ <http://www.house.gov/rogers/>    
Martin Olav Sabo, MN (D) http://www.house.gov/sabo/ <http://www.house.gov/sabo/>  
Frank R. Wolf, VA (R) http://www.house.gov/wolf <http://www.house.gov/wolf>      
Steny H. Hoyer, MD (D)  http://www.house.gov/hoyer/ <http://www.house.gov/hoyer/>  
Tom DeLay, TX (R) http://tomdelay.house.gov/ <http://tomdelay.house.gov/>
Alan B. Mollohan, WV (D) http://www.house.gov/mollohan/ <http://www.house.gov/mollohan/>     
Jim Kolbe, AZ (R) http://www.house.gov/kolbe/ <http://www.house.gov/kolbe/>        
Marcy Kaptur, OH (D) http://www.house.gov/kaptur/index.shtml <http://www.house.gov/kaptur/index.shtml>
James Walsh, NY (R) http://www.house.gov/walsh/ <http://www.house.gov/walsh/>       
Peter J. Visclosky, IN (D) http://www.house.gov/visclosky/ <http://www.house.gov/visclosky/>   
Charles H. Taylor, NC (R) http://www.house.gov/charlestaylor/ <http://www.house.gov/charlestaylor/>         
Nita M. Lowey, NY (D) http://www.house.gov/lowey/ <http://www.house.gov/lowey/>
David L. Hobson, OH (R) http://www.house.gov/hobson/ <http://www.house.gov/hobson/>  
Jose E. Serrano, NY (D)  http://www.house.gov/serrano/ <http://www.house.gov/serrano/>       
Ernest J. Istook, Jr., OK (R) http://www.house.gov/istook/ <http://www.house.gov/istook/>    
Rosa L. DeLauro, CT (D) http://www.house.gov/delauro/ <http://www.house.gov/delauro/>
Henry Bonilla, TX (R) http://www.house.gov/bonilla/ <http://www.house.gov/bonilla/>
James P. Moran, VA (D) http://www.house.gov/moran/ <http://www.house.gov/moran/>
Joe Knollenberg, MI (R) http://www.house.gov/knollenberg/ <http://www.house.gov/knollenberg/>    
John W. Olver, MA (D) http://www.house.gov/olver/ <http://www.house.gov/olver/>
Jack Kingston, GA (R) http://www.house.gov/kingston/ <http://www.house.gov/kingston/>
Ed Pastor, AZ (D) http://www.house.gov/pastor/ <http://www.house.gov/pastor/>
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, NJ (R) http://www.house.gov/frelinghuysen/ <http://www.house.gov/frelinghuysen/>  
David E. Price, NC (D) http://www.house.gov/price/ <http://www.house.gov/price/>  
Roger F. Wicker, MS (R) http://www.house.gov/wicker/ <http://www.house.gov/wicker/>
Chet Edwards, TX (D) http://www.house.gov/edwards/ <http://www.house.gov/edwards/>   
Todd Tiahrt, KS (R) http://www.house.gov/tiahrt/ <http://www.house.gov/tiahrt/>
Robert E. "Bud" Cramer, Jr., AL (D) http://www.house.gov/cramer/ <http://www.house.gov/cramer/>
Zach Wamp, TN (R) http://www.house.gov/wamp/ <http://www.house.gov/wamp/>
Patrick J. Kennedy, RI (D) http://www.house.gov/patrickkennedy/ <http://www.house.gov/patrickkennedy/>
Tom Latham, IA (R) http://www.house.gov/latham/ <http://www.house.gov/latham/>      
James E. Clyburn, SC (D) http://www.house.gov/clyburn/ <http://www.house.gov/clyburn/>
Anne Northup, KY (R) http://northup.house.gov/ <http://northup.house.gov/>       
Maurice D. Hinchey, NY (D) http://www.house.gov/hinchey/ <http://www.house.gov/hinchey/>
Robert Aderholt, AL (R) http://www.house.gov/aderholt/ <http://www.house.gov/aderholt/>
Lucille Roybal-Allard, CA (D) http://www.house.gov/roybal-allard/ <http://www.house.gov/roybal-allard/>
Jo Ann Emerson, MO (R) http://www.house.gov/emerson/ <http://www.house.gov/emerson/>
Sam Farr, CA (D) http://www.house.gov/farr/ <http://www.house.gov/farr/>
Kay Granger, TX (R) http://www.house.gov/granger/ <http://www.house.gov/granger/>
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., IL (D) http://www.house.gov/member.html#il02 <http://www.house.gov/member.html#il02>
John E. Peterson, PA (R) http://www.house.gov/johnpeterson/ <http://www.house.gov/johnpeterson/>  
Carolyn C. Kilpatrick, MI (D) http://www.house.gov/kilpatrick/ <http://www.house.gov/kilpatrick/>       
Virgil Goode, VA (R) http://www.house.gov/goode/ <http://www.house.gov/goode/>     
Allen Boyd, FL (D) http://www.house.gov/boyd/ <http://www.house.gov/boyd/>       
John Doolittle, CA (R)  http://www.house.gov/doolittle/ <http://www.house.gov/doolittle/>      
Chaka Fattah, PA (D) http://www.house.gov/fattah/ <http://www.house.gov/fattah/>        
Ray LaHood, IL (R) http://www.house.gov/lahood/ <http://www.house.gov/lahood/>       
Steven R. Rothman, NJ (D) http://www.house.gov/rothman/ <http://www.house.gov/rothman/>     
John Sweeney, NY (R) http://www.house.gov/sweeney/ <http://www.house.gov/sweeney/>
Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., GA (D)  http://www.house.gov/bishop/ <http://www.house.gov/bishop/>  
Don Sherwood, PA (R)  http://www.house.gov/sherwood/ <http://www.house.gov/sherwood/>
Marion Berry, AR (D) http://www.house.gov/berry/ <http://www.house.gov/berry/>     
Dave Weldon, FL (R) http://www.house.gov/weldon/ <http://www.house.gov/weldon/>                     
Michael K. Simpson, ID (R) http://www.house.gov/simpson/ <http://www.house.gov/simpson/>                     
John Abney Culberson, TX (R) http://www.culberson.house.gov/ <http://www.culberson.house.gov/>                      
Mark Steven Kirk, IL (R) http://www.house.gov/kirk/ <http://www.house.gov/kirk/>                  
Ander Crenshaw, FL (R) http://www.house.gov/crenshaw <http://www.house.gov/crenshaw>                 
Dennis R. Rehberg, MT (R) http://www.house.gov/rehberg/ <http://www.house.gov/rehberg/>                      
John Carter, TX (R) http://www.house.gov/carter/ <http://www.house.gov/carter/>                     
Rodney Alexander, LA (R) http://www.house.gov/alexander/ <http://www.house.gov/alexander/>       


Heather MacIntosh
President
Preservation Action
National Building Museum
401 F Street NW Room 324
Washington, DC 20001
http://www.preservationaction.org <http://www.preservationaction.org>

tel: 202-637-7873

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