Last week, ACRA members converged on Washington, D.C. to stand up for the issues that matter to their firms and the CRM industry. As a part of CRM Day on the Hill, members visited 32 congressional offices on both sides of the aisle (19 Democrats and 13 Republicans), and the issues discussed in each meeting were tailored specifically to the district, committee assignments, and interests of the legislator. ACRA members were carrying the message on:
- Infrastructure
With infrastructure being a hot topic for legislators and the administration alike, ACRA members demonstrated their expertise in facilitating responsible infrastructure development that appropriately balances development and community historic preservation values. Emphasis was placed on developing an infrastructure plan that provides sufficient resources to support efficient and effective permitting reviews to help streamline the process. - Historic Preservation Funding
The Fiscal year 2020 request from ACRA including $60 million for SHPOs, $20 million for THPOs, and $5 million for digitizing cultural resources data. - The Veterans Curation Program
Created to process at-risk archaeological collections belonging to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this five-month program provides employment, vocational training, and technology skills to veterans seeking to improve their access to the mainstream job market. Managed by ACRA member firm New South Associates, the VCP provides veterans a valuable bridging experience from active duty into the public sector. Legislators were asked to continue current funding levels for this vital program. - The African-American Burial Grounds Act
The Adams-McEachin-Budd African-American Burial Grounds Network Act creates a voluntary national network of historic African-American burial grounds. This legislation also establishes a National Park Service program to educate the public and provide technical assistance for community members and organizations to research and preserve burial sites and cemeteries within the Network. Members of the House were asked to co-sponsor this bill while Senators were asked whether they would be interested in introducing the Senate version.
Check out the photos from the day below, and thank you so much to our attendees for taking the time to stand up for CRM on Capitol Hill!
Not able to attend, but want to make a difference from your home state? Contact us now and we will help you schedule an in-district meeting!
Jasmine Heckman (left) & Sarah Janesko of New South Associates and the Veterans Curation Program
ACRA President Kim Redman (Alpine Archaeological Consultants) with Senator Corey Gardner (R-CO)
Andrew Weir (Commonwealth Heritage Group, left) & Jacob Petrie (New South Associates, right) with Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI-1)
Dan Cassedy (AECOM, left) & Wade Catts (South River Heritage Consulting)
Wade Catts (South River Heritage Consulting, left) & Mike Carmody (Dovetail Cultural Resource Group) meet with staff from the office of Representative Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE-AL)
Burr Neely (AECOM) & Ian Burrow (BurrowIntoHistory)
Sara Read (New South Associates) at the office of Senator David Perdue (R-GA)
Members from New South Associates & Dovetail Cultural Resource Group at the office of Senator Mark Warner (D-VA)
From left to right: Yemisi Egbewole (Senator Warner’s office), Jacob Petrie (New South), Brad Hatch (Dovetail), Jasmine Heckman (New South), Adriana Moss (Dovetail), Michael Carmody (Dovetail)
Sara Read & J.W. Joseph of New South Associates
Members from Dovetail Cultural Resource Group visit the office of Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA)
From left to right: Mike Carmody, Adriana Moss, Nick Barbash (Senator Kaine’s office), Brad Hatch
Ian Burrow (BurrowIntoHistory, left) & Wade Catts (South River Heritage Consulting) at the office of Senator Christopher Coons (D-DE)
Group dinner on Capitol Hill before storming the Hill