NATHPO PRAISES NEW HISTORIC PRESERVATION LEGISLATION 

Bills Introduced in Both the House and Senate Would Increase Funding for THPOs and Ensure Stable Funding in Future Years 

On Friday, December 20, 2024, Senator Martin Heinrich and Representative Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico introduced the Historic Preservation Enhancement Act. This sweeping legislation, if enacted, would represent an important step towards the federal government fulfilling their Trust responsibilities to ensure Tribal Nations have the financial resources necessary to protect their sacred places and preserve cultural resources. 

The Historic Preservation Enhancement Act would permanently require $300 million each year to be appropriated for the Historic Preservation Fund. Of that $300 million, at least 20 percent of the funds would be required to be allocated for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs). Moreover, the Senate version of the bill would require the Department of the Interior to review the allocation funding for annually to ensure that, as more and more Tribal Nations assert their sovereignty and establish THPOs, funding for those THPOs keeps pace. This critical provision would ensure that as more Tribes establish THPOs, the funding for each individual THPO is not diluted.

Read the full House bill (H.R. 10553) here and the full Senate bill (S. 5645) here.

“The legislation introduced by Senator Heinrich and Representative Leger Fernandez today would represent a critical step toward the United States Government honoring its Trust responsibilities to Tribal Nations by ensuring they have the adequate means to protect their sacred places and preserve their cultural resources,” said NATHPO Executive Director Valerie J. Grussing. "Establishing a Tribal Historic Preservation Officer is an act of sovereignty, and the Historic Preservation Enhancement Act would provide critical support as more and more Tribes assert that sovereignty each year. Thanks especially to Senator Heinrich, Representative Leger Fernandez, and all the THPOs from New Mexico and across the country who advocated for this bill. We look forward to working together in hopes of enacting it into law in the new Congress.” 

“It is our duty to preserve our history so that communities can see America’s greatest treasures and hear our saddest stories,” said Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández. “My parents instilled in me the importance of understanding the pain we have endured and what we can celebrate. I introduced the Historic Preservation Enhancement Act so that we can preserve places of struggle and perseverance across America and celebrate shared historical milestones. This bill funds State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and other organizations dedicated to preserving these stories. Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs) are the heart of protecting the heritage and culturally important places of Native American communities. My bill would provide increased resources to THPOs which are currently under-funded despite the millennia of history they must protect.” 

Who we are – NATHPO is a national non-profit 501(c)(3) membership organization, founded in 1998, of Tribal preservation leaders protecting culturally important places that perpetuate Native identity, resilience, and cultural endurance. Connections to cultural heritage sustain the health and vitality of Native peoples. We provide guidance to preservation officials, elected representatives, and the public about national historic preservation legislation, policies, and regulations. We promote Tribal sovereignty, develop partnerships, and advocate for Tribes in governmental activities on preservation issues. For more information visit our website at www.nathpo.org.