From Preservation Action:

This week, the House Appropriations Committee released their FY26 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee bill draft. The bill includes $168.9 million for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) the same as current enacted levels, but calls for deeper cuts to other important programs. While we are still waiting for the release of the more detailed explanatory statement, the bill appears to include funding at the following levels for the HPF:

$85.15 million for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (same as FY25)
$25.5 million for the Save America's Treasures grant program (same as FY25)
$30.25 million for Competitive Grant Subactivity (same as FY25)
$11 million for the HBCU Preservation Grant Program (same as FY25)
$10 million for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant program(same as FY25)
$7 million for the Semiquincentiennial Grant Program (same as FY25)

Total HPF Funding: $168.9 million (same as FY25 enacted levels)

While this funding level is still far below the $225 million Preservation Action has been pushing for and below other recent funding levels, the bill largely rejects the cuts in the President's budget request, which called for nearly eliminating HPF funding altogether. We were also pleased to see the bill included a provision to reauthorize the HPF for year until September of 2026, which lapsed in September of last year.

Preservation continues to advocate for Congress to support robust funding for the HPF and to reauthorize the program. Last week, we joined several national preservation organizations in sending a letter to key House and Senate appropriators urging support for robust HPF funding and to include language to reauthorize the HPF ahead of our nation's 250th anniversary. Join us in taking action by reaching out to your members of Congress in support of the HPF today!

Take Action: https://support.savingplaces.org/page/85213/action/1

Unfortunately, the House Interior Appropriations bill also calls for a $213 million cut to the National Park Service, which is already severely underfunded. Since the beginning of the Trump administration, the NPS has lost 24% of its permanent staff. Additionally, the bill cuts the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities by $144 million, a 35% cut. The bill also severely cuts the Advisory Council for Historic Preservation (ACHP) by nearly $3 million.

The bill was approved by the Subcommittee on a partisan vote sending it to the full committee for consideration. A hearing schedule hasn't been announced in the Senate yet, but they are expected to move soon. During the hearing, longtime preservation champion, Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) spoke passionately about the impact cuts to the National Park Service are having on historic and cultural sites, and cited the Administration's attempts to erase history and alter how more difficult chapters in American history are being told. Check out the full hearing below to learn more!

Watch the Full Hearing: https://appropriations.house.gov/schedule/markups/subcommittee-markup-fiscal-year-2026-interior-environment-and-related-agencies-0