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CONGRESSIONAL HISTORIC
PRESERVATION CAUCUS GROWS TO 162!
Read more, and get the latest list of members
here!
DISTRICT WORK PERIODS IN 2009: District work
periods are ideal times to plan your in-district lobbying event.
April 6 - April 17
May 25 - May 29
August 3 - September 4
LOBBY DAY, EVERY DAY IN 2009!
HOW TO PLAN AN IN
DISTRICT MEETING
TOP TEN LOBBY DAY
ALTERNATIVES
Lobby Day 2009 (March 9 - 10)
was just the beginning in an extremely exciting and important
legislative year. Help us follow through to make sure preservation
is a priority in 2009 -- and beyond!
Lobbying 1-2-3 (a short guide to
meeting with legislators)
Informational Briefs and Support Materials
Lobby Day Testimonials
 University
of Georgia
Student Quotes:
"I just wanted to thank you for leading us to Washington DC for
Preservation Action's Annual Meeting and Lobby Day; it was truly an
enlightening and educational experience. Capitol Hill was alive and
buzzing, and I was very impressed by how well the Georgia Representatives
and legislative aides responded to our information regarding historic
preservation in the state. Although advocacy is taught as part of
course curriculum, Lobby Day really put the legislative process and
support for historic preservation into perspective."
"I wanted to write to let you know how beneficial the Preservation Lobby
Day opportunity was to me and my preservation career. It was eye-opening
to see that, already, so many of Georgia's congressmen are
pro-preservation, which made our jobs a lot easier (no arm-twisting).
Also, the experience reinforced the fact that historic preservation is
truly a bi-partisan issue, which makes it great because it's one of the
few things everybody can agree on."
"First, thank you so very much for inviting me, Dean Nadinecek for making
it possible, and PA for facilitating the entire event. We often learn the
theoretical or academic concepts of historic preservation, and CED (the
Center for Environmental Design) is very good about engaging us in
outreach at the local/regional level. I feel very well-versed and capable
with regard to working on the individual challenges of sites, on
advocating for historic preservation within existing policy and law, and
integrating historic preservation with environmental and fiscal concerns
and the various trends and technologies in construction. However,
before we participated in Lobby Day I did not feel that I had a good grasp
of advocacy at the level at which law is made and backed up with spending.
I also, like most citizens, really had no idea how our elected
representatives interface with their constituents and work with lobbying
groups."
"I was in the group with Ray Luce of Georgia SHPO, whose technical
expertise was phenomenal and made me painfully aware of knowledge I needed
regarding the legislative history of historic preservation -- between the
movement's founding and the present, as well as a knowledge of the
mechanics by which HP is supported. Beyond that, I feel that my ability to
construct a compelling argument on behalf of HP was greatly benefited, and
will be immensely helpful in any context where it is necessary. The
connections that we made with preservation professionals, likewise, will
serve us (and hopefully them!) for the duration of our careers, as well. I
appreciate the experience greatly, and am honored to be part of it."
 Image
left:
Arkansas Deputy SHPO Missy McSwain and Professor Ruth Hawkins,
National Trust Advisor, update Senator Blanche Lincoln on the
progress of a Save America’s Treasures project in her hometown.
Boyd Mayer, Arkansas Main Street Coordinator
"This
was my fourth Lobby Day, and my favorite so far. I had the
privilege of tagging along with my SHPO, DSHPO, and Arkansas’s two
NTHP Advisors. We came armed with “before-and-after” photos of
completed preservation projects, as well one-page summaries on
each of our requests."
"After
an inspiring sendoff from Rep. Carnahan, our first visit was with
Congressman Berry from east Arkansas. He had been ambivalent to
preservation in the past, but it really helped us that one of the
Advisors was from his district and had a relationship with him.
He was glum about the overall state of the economy and the budget,
but was much more receptive to our message that preservation
creates jobs and promotes tourism. He even agreed to join the
Caucus!"
"Our
next two visits were with Congressmen Snyder and Ross from central
and south Arkansas. They are both friends our office, members of
the Caucus, and have always been fans of preservation. But even
with our best supporters, it’s still important to remind them that
people in their districts care about preservation issues."
"Arkansas’s lone Republican Congressman, Boozman, represents
northwest Arkansas. He’s a big history and Civil War buff, and is
another Caucus member and longtime preservation supporter. When
we arrived at his office, he was on the House floor voting. But
he had left instructions for his staff to bring us over to meet
him. So we … got to go … inside … the United … States … Capitol.
Omigosh! If the patriotic feelings weren’t enough (lobbying a
Member of Congress in THE actual lobby!), the whole place is
completely saturated with architectural and artistic details.
(It’s just too much to take in -- I guess I’m still a little
starstruck!)"
"After
making our pitch, Rep. Boozman walked us down to the tunnel
beneath the Capitol where we caught the train to our Senators’
offices. Senator Lincoln (who sponsored the Senate version of the
Community Reinvestment and Revitalization Act in the last
Congress) was as enthusiastic about preservation as always, and
she even inquired about several Save America’s Treasures projects
throughout the state."
"Senator Pryor was our last visit. He was particularly interested
in energy issues, and had apparently never heard the pitch that
preservation is always the greenest policy. We changed that for
him! He asked us to identify some historic structures in Arkansas
that might be in need of an energy retrofit and to send him a
list."
"It all
went by so quickly … we didn’t realize until the end of the day
that we had just seen our
entire Congressional delegation. 6 out of 6! While
they all expressed overall concern about the economy and the
challenges facing the federal budget, they were each receptive to
our message and promised to fight for preservation."
"Thanks
to PA, NCSHPO, and all the outstanding partners who put together
Lobby Day each year. And thanks to Cathie Matthews, Missy McSwain,
Ruth Hawkins, and Debbie Shea for letting me tag along. It’s
always an honor to lob with you fine ladies."
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JOIN PRESERVATION
ACTION!
GRASSROOTS POLL FOR 2009 PRIORITIES
Member Priorities Scored
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90%
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State
Historic Preservation Offices
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79%
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Historic
Homeowner’s Tax Credit
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78% |
Improvements
to the Commercial Rehabilitation Tax Credit
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71%
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Save
America’s Treasures
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66% |
Rural
Preservation Programs
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63%
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Disaster preparedness and funding
for historic resources
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62% |
Preserve
America
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61% |
Federal insurance policy better
supporting historic preservation
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59% |
Tribal
Historic Preservation Offices
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CONGRESS SPEAKS OUT ON PRESERVATION
Preservation Action has been interviewing
preservation leaders in Congress about current legislation, ideas
for the future, and tips for advocates.
 Interview
with
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV).
Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid (D-NV) is solidly grounded by the history of his hometown,
Searchlight, NV. Throughout his political career, his roots and
connection to Nevada's rich history have helped make Senator Reid
one of the most highly respected members of Congress.
In this interview, conducted on March 19, 2008 in Las Vegas, Reid
talks about local history and its advocates, and provides much
practical advice. This is the first interview in our leadership
series conducted as a part of Preservation Action's In District
Lobby Days program -- references are made to specific historic
places in the Las Vegas area, and the people who helped save them.
Interview with
Senator Wayne Allard
(R-CO).
Senator
Wayne Allard (R-CO), Ranking Member (head Republican) of the Senate
Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, has been a long-time supporter
of historic preservation. He has helped secure Save America's
Treasures and Preserve America grants for Colorado communities. He's
also one of few Senators who have signed onto the Senate version of
the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act, S. 584
(improvements to the federal rehabilitation tax credit). In 1990,
while in the Colorado state legislature, he sponsored the state
historic rehab tax credit. In this January 30, 2008 interview,
Senator Allard provides insights and practical advice for advocates
seeking more funding for historic preservation.
Interview with
Representative Betty
McCollum (D-MN).
Always among the first to
cosponsor preservation legislation, Representative Betty McCollum's
(D-MN) experience as a high school social science teacher and her deep
underlying interest in history have directed her leadership. She
sits on the House Appropriations Committee, and is a member of the
State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs Subcommittee.
In this February 13 interview,
Representative McCollum talks about her connection to history,
preservation's role in the Iraq war, and provides advice on how
all of us might strengthen our connection with Congress by telling
our unique stories.
 Interview
with
Senator Thad Cochan (R-MS).
Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS) has
been a longtime preservation supporter. In early 2006, his conviction helped
Mississippi attain $26,000,000 in supplemental funding for
preservation projects to be distributed as grants through the State
Historic Preservation Office. These grants have, in turn, helped
ground Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts with rehabilitations of
character-defining places. In this January 29, 2008 interview,
Cochran shares his thoughts about the value of historic
preservation; local, state and federal cooperation; and grassroots
outreach to his local offices.
Interview with
Representative Todd Tiahrt
(R-KS).
At
the beginning of the 110th Congress, Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-KS)
became the lead minority member (Ranking Member) of the House
Appropriations Interior Subcommittee. Shortly after assuming his new
post, Tiahrt spoke up for preservation funding. At the Subcommittee mark
up for Interior programs last year, Tiahrt advocated $10 million for
Preserve America. Between fiscal years 2006 and 2007, the program
awarded $5 million to 140 projects in 40 states. In FY2008, thanks in
part of Tiahrt's leadership, $7.5 million is available for Preserve
America grants in 2008.
Preservation Action conducted this interview on January 29th, 2008.
Interview with
Representative Jim McCrery.
On September 27, Preservation Action
interviewed Representative Jim McCrery (R-LA) the lead Republican
member of the House Ways and Means Committee – whose job it is to
consider changes in the tax law. A tax bill improving the Federal
Rehabilitation Tax Credit (H.R.1043/S.584) is among many, many other issues
currently on the
committee’s extensive plate. Immediately prior to this interview,
Preservation Action learned about consideration of a few of our
bills' provisions as a part of a large affordable housing bill. The
impact to H.R.1043 was unknown.
In this interview, Representative McCrery
provides insights into our bill’s potential timing, how his
committee prioritizes tax legislation in general, the
grassroots in this effort and the way the Louisiana delegation and Congress responded to
Hurricane Katrina.
 Interview
with
Representative Ben Chandler.
On May 24, 2007, at a
subcommittee mark up, Representative
Ben Chandler upped an already-increased appropriation for the Historic
Preservation Fund by $5 million for State Historic Preservation Offices.
His successful amendment
included language the grassroots has been using for several years in our
Hill requests.
In this interview with
Preservation Action's President Heather MacIntosh, Representative
Chandler talks about why he cares so much.
 Interview with
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Senator Hutchison is one of preservation's biggest supporters in
Congress. She is an early cosponsor of the Community Restoration and
Revitalization Act (S.584) which, if passed, would substantially
improve the Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit. She sits on the
Senate Appropriations Committee. In a May 24 interview with
Preservation Action, Senator Hutchison shared her views on the value
of history and local preservation efforts, and the critical role of
grassroots federal-level advocacy.
 Interview with
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Senator Blanche
Lincoln's interest in preservation grew from a deep connection to
the history and architecture of the small riverboat town where she
and generations of her family lived and accumulated stories.
Lincoln (D-AR) introduced the Senate version of the Community
Restoration and Revitalization Act (S.584) on February 14, 2007, and
in so doing, moved chances of improving the Federal Rehabilitation
Tax Credit one step further. In an April 19 interview with
Preservation Action, Lincoln shared her thoughts about the value of
historic preservation and a simple way to move our cause forward in
Congress.
 I nterview
with Representative
Phil English (R-PA).
Member of the
Historic Preservation Caucus
and the
Ways and Means Committee,
and sponsor of
H.R.1043,
a bill including
many great amendments to the rehabilitation tax credit,
Representative Phil English (R-PA) is one of historic preservation’s
best friends in Congress. In this February 8, 2006 interview,
English provides his view on the value of preservation, and his
thoughts about the potential success of HR 3159 (now H.R.1043), the need for grassroots
advocacy and what we need to do to win the fight for a historic
homeowners tax credit.
 Interview with
Representative Brad Miller (D-NC)
co-founded the Historic
Preservation Caucus. A native North Carolinian, Congressman Miller
now represents the state’s 13th District, which includes
parts of Raleigh, Greensboro, and counties bordering Virginia in
between the two cities.
 Interview
with Historic
Preservation Caucus Co-Chair
Michael Turner (R-OH). In this 2006
conversation, Representative Turner talks about his
commitment to the cause, and the value of grassroots action. Before becoming
Ohio’s Third District Representative, Congressman Michael Turner was
the two-term Mayor of Dayton, Ohio. As an activist in Dayton, he
supported non-profit efforts focused on neighborhood revitalization,
housing code enforcement and historic preservation.
Interview
with Representative
Russ Carnahan
(D-MO).
Earlier
this spring, Congressman Russ Carnahan (MO-3) introduced the
Preserve Historic America Act (HR610), a preservation opus of
sorts that addresses a wide variety of incentives for community
building utilizing our historic structures and infrastructure. On July 7, 2006, Congressman Carnahan
was kind enough to grant an interview to discuss HR 5420 (now HR610), the
Preserve Historic America Act.
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