SAT and Preserve America Authorizations
H.R.3981
- Title: To authorize the Preserve America Program and Save America's Treasures Program, and for other purposes.
- Sponsor: Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13] (introduced 10/29/2007) Cosponsors (57)
Related Bills: S.2262 - Latest Major Action: 6/11/2008 House committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Summary
- Establishes an authorization for the Preserve America Program, under which the Secretary of the Interior, in partnership with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, shall provide competitive grants to specified entities to support preservation efforts through heritage tourism, education, and historic preservation planning activities. Sets forth provisions regarding the designation of communities, tribal areas, and neighborhoods as Preserve America Communities.
- Establishes an authorization for the Save America's Treasures Program, under which the Secretary shall provide grants to eligible entities for projects to preserve nationally significant collections and historic properties. Provides for, of the amounts available for such grants, not less than 50% to be available for projects to preserve collections and historic properties, which shall be distributed through a competitive grant process.
- Requires a collection or historic property to be provided a competitive grant only if such collection or property is: (1) nationally significant; and (2) threatened or endangered.
- Requires historic properties, to be eligible for a grant, to be: (1) listed in the National Register of Historic Places at the national level of significance; or (2) designated as a National Historic Landmark.
- Sets forth the criteria under which grants shall be provided to projects for eligible collections and historic properties.
Background
H.R. 3981 is a bill that would authorize both the Preserve America (PA) and Save America's Treasures (SAT) programs. Each of these historic preservation initiatives apply to projects of a different nature – SAT for "bricks and mortar" preservation and PA for heritage education and outreach – although it is important that they should be mutually supportive of each other to maximize federal resources and goals in saving the nation's historic assets. Certain provisions in the bill would foster and encourage this partnership where it is suitable.
PA and SAT are already working together at specific locations throughout the country. This relationship between both programs heightens the power of Federal funding to leverage additional resources and enable history to come alive through the natural relationship between preservation of buildings or artifacts and informing the public about these resources. SAT bricks-and-mortar recipients benefit greatly from Preserve America awards that provide funds for the planning process needed to qualify for SAT support, as well as essential education and outreach activities to increase the value of an SAT-funded restoration."
SAT was established a decade ago to celebrate the millennium and highlight the importance of history in marking the 21st century. With broad bi-partisan support in Congress, the leadership of two First Ladies, and the continuing support and leadership of both the Clinton and Bush administrations, SAT has proved to be a phenomenal success and has provided more than $264 million in federal challenge grants to 1,024 historic preservation projects through 2007.
The Preserve America program was established in 2002 by Executive Order and recognizes and designates communities — including neighborhoods in large cities — that protect and celebrate their heritage, use their historic assets for economic development and community revitalization, and encourage people to experience and appreciate local historic resources through education and heritage tourism programs. Since the program began, more than 500 communities (including nine neighborhoods) have been designated as Preserve America Communities in all 50 states and one U.S. territory.
Legislative Update
The House Natural Resources Committee marked up and approved with amendments a bill (H.R. 3981) authorizing the Preserve America (PA) and Save America's Treasures (SAT) programs on June 11th. The three amendments, approved by voice vote, included:
- A substitute amendment from Natural Resources National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Subcommittee Chairman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), which made technical changes and brought the bill in line with language approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in the Senate companion bill (S. 2262), capping the authorization for PA at $25 million and SAT at $50 million annually.
- An amendment from Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) which set the authorizations from FY09-FY13. Bishop said allowing the authorizations to expire would help Congress maintain proper oversight.
- A second amendment from Rep. Bishop prohibited any funds in the bill from being used to create a or study a National Heritage Area, the multi-state areas of conservation and historic preservation that many Republicans from western states have derided as improper land grabs by the federal government.
Outlook
However, even with all of its tremendous success and support, SAT and PA are unauthorized and tenuously funded from year-to-year though the annual appropriations process. The National Trust is urging Congress to authorize SAT and PA with a long-term programmatic and funding vision that would enable both programs to work in harmony with the other components of the national historic preservation program. Authorization [of SAT] would codify the successful implementation and practices of a ten-year old initiative along with its newer partner [PA].
