WASHINGTON – Deputy Interior Secretary Lynn Scarlett asked the Senate Energy and Natural Resources National Parks Subcommittee on April 9 to authorize the Preserve America and Save America’s Treasures programs. 

“The results are clear.” Scarlett said at the hearing. “Both programs have demonstrated significant on-the-ground success in fostering preservation partnerships, leveraging private dollars with public funds, and sustaining efficient resource management strategies and sound business practices in the preservation of our heritage assets.”

If enacted, the Preserve America and Save America’s Treasures Act (S. 2262) would, for the first time, formally codify the Preserve America and Save America’s Treasures programs. Both grant programs operate under the authority of presidential executive orders. Formal congressional authorization of the two programs would work to ensure their long-term viability.

The U.S. Department of the Interior administers the grant programs in cooperation with other federal agencies. These include the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences. Both grant programs have operated without congressional authorization since their inception.

Preserve America fosters reuse and interpretation of cultural resources that form the social, educational and economic fabric of communities. Preserve America grants complement the Save America’s Treasures grant program. Save America's Treasures funds “brick-and-mortar” improvements to historic structures and assets by providing competitive grants to encourage historic resources management through heritage tourism.

“Save America’s Treasures and Preserve America Grants have been important to communities across the nation that use their heritage resources as key components of their economic futures,” said John L. Nau III, chairman, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, of the programs. “Sustainable preservation is a wise investment that returns many times its original cost, and is precisely the sort of strategy that Congress should encourage as we seek to make our communities better places to live and work.”

“We’re very appreciative today of Ranking Member Sen. Pete Domenici, along with Sen. Hillary Clinton, for introducing the bill and to Chairman Bingaman for cosponsoring this bill along with the other co-sponsors," Scarlett said. "We particularly appreciate Sen. Akaka and Sen. Burr for holding today’s hearing on S. 2262.”

Interior and the Council on Historic Preservation are two of the key federal agencies in the nearly a dozen that partner with the White House on the Preserve America initiative.

Preserve America, an interagency initiative that began with an executive order that President George W. Bush signed in 2003, supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy the country's cultural and natural heritage. The initiative promotes the following:

• greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past
• strengthened regional identities and local pride
• increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets
• support for the economic vitality of our communities.
  

America’s Treasures began as the centerpiece of the White House National Millennium Commemoration. It was part of a public-private partnership that included the White House, the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. President Clinton signed the executive order that launched Save America’s Treasures in 1988. Save America's Treasures protects cultural treasures, including the following:

• historic structures
• historic objects
• collections
• artifacts
• documents
• sculptures
• works of art

Related Links:

Preserve America:
 www.PreserveAmerica.gov.

Save America's Treasures: http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/treasures/.

For additional information, please contact Joan Moody, public affairs specialist, Secretary's Office of Communications.