Now that the 2024 presidential primaries and caucuses have started, election-year politics are increasingly intruding into Washington policymaking.
Case in point: Former President Donald Trump, whose victory in the New Hampshire primary last week followed his Iowa caucus win eight days earlier, is pressuring GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill to scuttle a major border security and foreign aid bill. A bipartisan group of Senators has been negotiating a package to provide aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan while enhancing border security.
But after Trump took to social media to tell Republicans to oppose any deal, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) apparently admitted to his GOP colleagues in a closed-door meeting that Trump’s opposition could imperil the bill. Why would Republicans abandon a bill to increase border security? It appears that Trump believes that letting President Biden sign a border security bill would help the incumbent in the election by depriving the GOP of one of their best talking points: that Biden wants “open borders.”
This line of reasoning prompted Republican Sen. Mitt Romney (UT) to blast the former President, saying, “the fact that he would communicate to Republican senators and congresspeople that he doesn’t want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden for it is really appalling.” But Trump’s opposition could prevent Congress from addressing both the border situation and providing aid to foreign allies.
Of course, mixing policy and politics in an election year is a bipartisan exercise. For his part, President Biden announced a series of administrative actions last week aimed at protecting reproductive rights. The announcement coincided with the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. But it also comes as Biden hammers Trump over ending Roe by nominating three Supreme Court justices who overturned it. Since the Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision ending Roe, reproductive rights have been a winning issue for Democrats – just as border security has helped Republicans.
As the November election draws nearer, expect more policy decisions to be driven by the needs of the candidates.
NPS Unveils Bulletin 38 Revisions
The National Park Service (NPS) has released a revised version of National Register Bulletin 38: Guidelines for Evaluating and Documenting Traditional Cultural Properties and is soliciting written comments from the public.
First issued in 1990, the TCP Bulletin provides guidance on nominating buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts believed to have traditional cultural significance for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. The Bulletin was last updated in the 1990s, but two years ago NPS launched an effort last year to refine it. In 2022, NPS issued an initial draft and sought public feedback; ACRA provided comments to NPS in early 2023.
NPS announced further revisions January 25, and is now inviting the public to provide comments until March 25.
For more information, visit the NPS’ Bulletin 38 resource page.
Speak Up for CRM in Washington!
CRM firms have a lot at stake when Congress makes policy decisions that impact their bottom line. And there’s no better way to make sure lawmakers hear the industry’s point of view than meeting them in person.
ACRA members have a powerful story to tell policymakers about the importance of cultural resources management. As Congress debates policies that impact the CRM industry, it’s more important than ever to make sure lawmakers hear that story.
That’s why ACRA is holding its annual Capitol Hill Fly-In May 7-8, 2024.
Don’t miss this chance to join your fellow CRM professionals in meeting with your members of Congress to discuss issues important to the industry. ACRA will arrange your meetings and provide training beforehand. There is no cost to register for the Fly-In, but you are responsible for making your travel and lodging accommodations.
ACRA needs time to get your meetings scheduled, so sign up now before it is too late!