NATHPO Advocacy
FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS
Per the 1992 amendments to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, federally recognized tribal governments were able to create and operate Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) programs by officially entering into agreements with the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior. Among other tasks, THPOs may assume the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) responsibilities on tribal lands and also receive funds for this purpose from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), also administered by the National Park Service. The HPF is supported by annual revenues from Outer Continental Shelf oil leases and assists states, local governments, and Indian tribes with their historic preservation activities nationwide.
NATHPO Testimony to House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee
NATHPO submitted written testimony for the record on the Tribal line item of the Historic Preservation Fund ($20 million); NAGPRA Grants ($2.3 million); NPS NAGPRA Program ($1 million); BIA for cultural resource work ($3.965 million); and Smithsonian repatriation work ($1.25 million).
Click here for a copy of NATHPO’s FY20 testimony that was submitted on March 7, 2019
On February 14, 2019, the President signed into a law a bill that funds the Department of the Interior for the remainder of FY 2019. Included in the appropriations package were increases in the line items for the Historic Preservation Fund, including a $250,000 increase for THPOs, as well as increases in other federal programs that support tribal preservation efforts.
Click here for final FY19 budget
NATHPO Testimony to House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee
NATHPO submitted written testimony for the record on the Tribal line item of the Historic Preservation Fund ($15 million); NAGPRA Grants ($2.3 million); NPS NAGPRA Program ($1 million); BIA for cultural resource work ($3.965 million); and Smithsonian repatriation work ($1.25 million).
Click here for copy of NATHPO’s FY19 testimony that was submitted on May 18, 2018
U.S. Senate Appropriations
Twenty-nine U.S. Senators added their names to the sign-on letter to Senators Murkowski and Udall, led by Senators Gillibrand and Cassidy, that seeks a total of $110.5 million in funding from the Historic Preservation Fund that includes $15 million for Indian tribes. The increase in the request is due to the two-year budget deal (not reflected in the requests below, but this was a matter of the budget deal timing).
Click here for copy of the signed Senate Dear Colleague letter, dated April 27, 2018
NATHPO thanks all the Senators who supported the increased appropriations.
U.S. House of Representatives
The co-chairs of the (U.S. House) Historic Preservation Caucus — Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-OH/10) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR/3) — circulated a member sign-on letter that supports increased federal appropriations for the Tribal line of the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). Our thanks to the caucus co-chairs for their leadership and vision.
Click here for copy of the final Dear Colleague letter, dated March 16, 2018
A record number of Representatives from across the political spectrum signed the letter, 117 signers (16 more than last year).
Here is the one-page document that details the $13.5 million Tribal line item request for the FY2019 HPR:
Click here for Tribal request (part of the above consensus process)
President Trump Budget Request for FY2019 Budget Presented to Congress
On Feb. 12, 2018, President Trump released his Fiscal Year 2019 budget request that will cover the period of Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2019. Drastic cuts in federal cultural preservation programs were included in his request — reducing the Tribal line item of the Historic Preservation Fund from $10.49 million to $5.74 million and eliminating the NAGPRA Grants line item.
Click here for final FY18 budget and the President’s FY19 request for the Historic Preservation Fund
The President requested $0 for NAGPRA Grants (reduction of $1.657 million in grants to Indian tribes, Native Hawaiian organizations, and museums), which are administered by the National Park Service, Interior Department.
Click here to review the National Park Service 417-page President’s FY19 Budget Request
The President requested funds to close down the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Click here to read the IMLS statement on the FY19 budget request
Click here to read the NEA statement on the FY19 budget request
Click here to read the NEH statement on the FY19 budget request
On March 23, 2018, a final FY2018 federal budget was approved by the Congress and signed by the President. Included in the omnibus appropriations package were increases in the line items for the Historic Preservation Fund, including a $1 million increase for THPOs, as well as substantial increases in other federal programs that support tribal preservation efforts.
Click here for final FY2018 HPF
The FY18 budget increased federal support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Endowments for the Arts and for the Humanities.
Background on President’s Request:
In late May 2017, President Trump and his administration released their first federal budget proposal, which requests significant reductions to the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), which supports both Tribal and State Historic Preservation Officers, as well as a Tribal Heritage Grant program. The FY18 Trump request for Indian tribes in the HPF is $8.96 million — a reduction of $1.5 million from FY17 (FY17 is $10.485 million). See detailed information in this chart:
Click here for the Trump FY18 budget request for the HPF
The U.S. Congress, starting with the House of Representatives, has now started deliberating on the federal budget.
Other noteworthy funding levels proposed in the FY18 budget request include:
* Level funding for NAGPRA Grants to Indian Tribes and Museums ($1.657 million)
* Consolidation of grants management within the National Park Service cultural division, that if enacted, would be referred to as Grant Administration, to include HPF and NAGPRA grants administration (move of $191,000 from NAGPRA grants management to Grant Administration)
Slated for elimination in the Trump FY18 budget request are the following federal programs that Indian tribes have participated over the years:
* Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS)
* National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and
* National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
NATHPO is advocating for $13 million for Tribal Preservation Historical Officers (THPOs) to carry out the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act and to support the tribal competitive grant program.
Click here for information sheet
NATHPO has been supporting Tribal Nation efforts to preserve and protect their sacred places and landscapes. After years of collaboration between the Bears Ears Intertribal Coalition and others, along with the public comment process, President Obama named Bears Ears a national monument on December 28, 2016, and protected 1.35 million acres of land for one of the most significant cultural landscapes in our history. Unfortunately, Bears Ears is under threat. On December 4, 2017, President Trump announced his decision to revoke Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah and replace it with two much smaller monuments. This action removed protections from more than a million acres that include thousands of extraordinary archaeological sites vulnerable to looting and vandalism. On December 5, 2017, U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT), Rep. John Curtis (R-UT) and Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) unveiled H.R. 4532, the Shash Jáa and Indian Creek National Monuments Act and the Grand Staircase-Escalante Enhancement Act. The bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Mia Love (R-UT), codify in law requirements for local input in the management of President Trump’s newly-designated national monuments in Utah.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is actively working to oppose this action and developed a “sign-on” letter describing the reasons why not to support H.R. 4532. If you have questions about this initiative, please send an email message to Janelle DiLuccia, National Trust for Historic Preservation (jdiluccia@savingplaces.org) or call her at (202) 588-6140.
Click here for the sign-on letter, dated Feb. 13, 2018
Historic preservationists from around the country are convening in Washington, DC, the week of March 13, 2017, to express their support of federal programs that support American cultural preservation, most urgently the National Historic Preservation Act and the Historic Preservation Fund. The majority of attendees will be State Historic Preservation Officers and members of local advisory committees.
Click here for agenda
Click here for Advocacy Guide & Briefing Packet
NATHPO is advocating for $11.985 million for Tribal Preservation Historical Officers (THPOs) to carry out the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act and to support the tribal competitive grant program.
Click here for information sheet
NATHPO submitted testimony for the record to the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee on the President’s Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Request
Click here for copy of NATHPO testimony.
On March 25, 2015, NATHPO testified before the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee on the President’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request
Click here for copy of NATHPO testimony.
NATHPO is advocating for $15 million for Tribal Preservation Historical Officers (THPOs) to carry out the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act and to support the tribal competitive grant program.
Click here for 1 page information sheet.
April 8, 2014 NATHPO Testified before the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee on the President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Request
Click here for copy of NATHPO testimony.
April 24, 2014 NATHPO Testified before the House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee on the President’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Request
Click here for copy of NATHPO testimony.
March 28, 2012 NATHPO Testified before the House Interior, Environemnt and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee on the President’s Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Request
Click here for the NATHPO testimony.
On November 5, 2011, NATHPO testified before Senator Mark Udall, Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on National Parks, on cultural and historic resources issues and the national park system.
Click here for a copy of the testimony
On June 16, 2011, the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held an oversight hearing on NAGPRA and other repatriation laws.
Click here to read the hearing transcript.
Click here to read NATHPO’s written testimony for the hearing record.
On October 7, 2009, NATHPO testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources, which held a full committee oversight hearing on the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).
Click here to read the Press Release
Click here for NATHPO’s written testimony
Click here to view the transcript of the hearing