Newly Introduced Legislation Integral to Preservation of the National Mall
Newly Introduced Legislation Integral to Preservation of the National Mall
U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Mark Warner (D-VA), Lamar Alexander (R-TN), and Angus King (I-ME) and House Representatives Rob Bishop (R-UT) and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) have introduced legislation that would address the nearly $12 billion backlog in long-delayed maintenance projects at the National Park Service (NPS). The Senate’s bipartisan Restore Our Parks Act has been praised by conservation groups, including the Trust for the National Mall. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) included the Trust for the National Mall and partners in a release late Thursday.
Catherine Townsend, President and CEO, the Trust for the National Mall:
“The time is now for Congress to address this national crisis, particularly in the Nation’s Capital. The National Mall hosts more than 35 million visits each year and has the highest deferred maintenance bill of any National Park across the country. As the greatest symbol of American Democracy, we must improve and preserve this historic legacy for generations to come. We express our gratitude to Representatives Bishop and Kilmer in the House and Senators Portman, Warner, Alexander and King in the Senate for their steadfast leadership of this important legislation,”
Thomas J. Cassidy, Vice President for Government Relations and Policy for the National Trust for Historic Preservation:
“The $11.6 billion National Park System deferred maintenance backlog jeopardizes some of our nation’s most iconic historic resources and cultural artifacts. By creating a reliable federal funding source to reduce the backlog, this legislation will enable the National Park Service and other federal agencies to save the historic structures, landscapes, and necessary infrastructure that enable the public to safely enjoy the places that reflect our nation’s history. We commend Senators Portman, Warner, Alexander, and King along with Representatives Bishop and Kilmer for their leadership in creating a bipartisan path for Congress to secure the future of important historic and cultural resources now at risk.”
Full statement from the National Trust for Historic Preservation may be found here.
CONTACT:
TRUST FOR THE NATIONAL MALL
Kelly Decerbo
202-407-9418
kdecerbo@nationalmall.org
NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Erica Stewart
202-588-6229
estewart@savingplaces.org
About the National Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places. savingplaces.org | @savingplaces
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