HR-3418-119
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Sponsored by Michael Turner (R-OH)
What it does
This bill would amend federal law to extend authorization for the Historic Preservation Fund from 2023 through 2035, and would raise the fund's authorized annual funding level from $150 million to $250 million. The fund supports state, tribal, and local historic preservation programs, including grants for surveys, planning, and rehabilitation of historic sites.
Who benefits
State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, and local governments that receive grants for preservation projects; historic site owners and developers who use preservation tax incentives and grants; heritage tourism businesses in communities with historic districts; archaeologists, historians, and preservation professionals whose work depends on grant funding.
Who is hurt
No group is meaningfully harmed by this bill, since it does not impose new mandates or restrictions on private parties; the increased funding is drawn from existing outer continental shelf oil and gas lease revenues, which does not directly affect taxpayers or businesses outside the preservation sector. Federal budget analysts note the increased authorization level modestly raises the ceiling on funds that could otherwise be directed elsewhere within available offshore revenue.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue the Historic Preservation Fund has operated successfully since 1976 without using general tax revenue, drawing instead from offshore oil and gas lease revenues, making it a low-cost way to preserve historic sites and support heritage tourism. They contend the increase to $250 million reflects inflation and growing demand from states and tribes for preservation grants that have been oversubscribed for years.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that continually expanding authorized funding levels for legacy programs without deeper review can lock in spending commitments that crowd out reconsideration of priorities within the offshore revenue account. They contend that a twelve-year extension, rather than shorter reauthorization windows, reduces opportunities for Congress to reassess program performance and adjust funding based on updated needs.
Constitutional context
This bill raises no significant constitutional question; Congress's authority to appropriate and direct the use of federal revenues, including outer continental shelf lease receipts, falls squarely within its Article I, Section 8 spending power.
Checks and balances
Congress sets the funding authorization level and duration; the Department of the Interior (National Park Service) administers grants to states and tribes, with no significant shift in power between branches.
Historical precedent
The Historic Preservation Fund has been periodically reauthorized and increased by Congress since its creation in 1976, including a similar extension and funding increase enacted in 2016.