Position on H.R. 295, H.R. 1621, and H.R. 2817

H.R. 295 – To reauthorize the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Historic Preservation program: NPCA supports Representative Clyburn’s bill to amend the Omnibus Parks and Public Lands Management Act of 1996 to reauthorize Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) from FY2016 through FY2025. HPF funds will be used to support preservation and restoration of buildings and structures at HBCU campuses across the nation.

H.R. 1621 – To modify the boundary of Petersburg National Battlefield in the Commonwealth of Virginia: NPCA supports this bill to expand Petersburg National Battlefield in Virginia. Civil War battlefields are being destroyed at the alarming rate of 30 acres each day, despite their continued value and meaning to America. Petersburg National Battlefield is under substantial development pressure and significant sites have already been lost. A comprehensive National Park Service study of the area calls for the addition of 7,238 acres of critical battlefield to the park. The added lands at Petersburg will protect America’s Civil War history, leave a lasting legacy for future generations, and enhance the park’s ability to attract visitors.

H.R. 2817 – National Historic Preservation Amendments Act of 2015: NPCA supports this bill which would allow the National Park Service to continue to provide support for state, tribal, and local efforts of historic preservation. The Historic Preservation Fund was created by Congress in 1976 to provide funding to State Historic and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. HPF funds facilitate the documentation, preservation and interpretation of our cultural and historic resources, often reaching into urban and rural communities that lack other sources of financial support for this critical work. The funding authorization for the HPF expired on September 30, 2015; Rep. Turner’s bill reauthorizes this important fund.