Candidate Spotlight: Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland
Senator Ben Cardin is running for reelection to the U.S. Senate!
Ben is lead sponsor of a bill to enhance the historic preservation tax credit, and he has introduced several bills to preserve key sites in Maryland, like Thurgood Marshall’s elementary school and President Street Station.
To learn more about Ben’s thoughts on historic preservation issues, read his answers to our candidate survey below:
- What is your name?
Ben Cardin
- In which Congressional district are you running for election?
Maryland/Statewide
- Is there a historically significant place that is important to you in your Congressional district?
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore City and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. C&O Canal National Historical Park. Antietam National Battlefield. President Street Station, the oldest surviving urban railroad terminal in America, and P.S. 103, the elementary school where Thurgood Marshall first learned many of the lessons that would make him a legendary lawyer and American jurist.
- What do you think of current proposals in Congress to require Congressional approval of the President’s decision to designate national monuments?
Both Republican and Democratic presidents have used their authority to designate national monuments under the Antiquities Act of 1906. I oppose efforts to roll back this authority or withdraw lands from federal protection. I am a cosponsor of S. 2354, the ANTIQUITIES Act of 2018, which would protect and enhances national monuments by officially declaring Congress’ support for the 51 national monuments established by presidents in both parties between January 1996 and April 2017, reinforcing that existing law clearly states that presidential proclamations designating national monuments are valid and cannot be reduced or diminished, except by an act of Congress, further enhance protections for the presidentially designated national monuments by 1) requiring that they be surveyed, mapped and that management plans be completed in two years—in the same manner as congressionally designated national monuments—and 2) that they receive additional resources to ensure that they will continue to meet their full potential of providing unmatched economic, recreational, and cultural benefits to their states and to the nation.
- The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects of federal undertakings on historic properties before approving a project. Federal undertakings include: projects that need a federal permit, receive federal funds, or are located on federal land. How do you think this law impacts our communities and development timelines?
I support the National Historic Preservation Act and I support a process that maximizes outreach to and the involvement of all potential stakeholders. Such a process may be time-consuming but in most instances, it’s better to do it right than to do it fast, especially when historic resources are affected. As we learned the hard way in 1964 with the demolition of the original Pennsylvania Station in New York City, once these resources are lost, they are lost forever.
- Have you had the opportunity to meet with the State Historic Preservation Officer and/or State Archaeologist? Have you met with any local preservation groups?
My staff and I have met with historic preservation officers and preservation groups countless times. I am the lead Senate sponsor of legislation to extend and enhance the historic preservation tax credit (S. 425 in this Congress, with Senator Susan Collins of Maine as the lead Republican co-sponsor). I have also introduced legislation to preserve the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (S. 1644), Thurgood Marshall’s public elementary school (S. 1645), and President Street Station (S. 1646) in the 115th Congress.
- How do think that federal funding of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Science Foundation impacts our district?
The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded $3,885,110 to Maryland Humanities during the period from November 2012 through October 2017 (Fiscal Years 2013 through 2017). This helped fund 6,511 program activities and 103 re-grants which affected 418,433 direct participants. In addition, 4,310,073 additional people were reached through grant‐supported projects, television & radio broadcasts, digital engagement, and fairs & festivals. Maryland Humanities leverages federal support at a rate of nearly 3:1 from the State of Maryland, local governments, and the private sector through cash and in‐kind contributions of goods and services. More than 4.3 million Marylanders, in 23 counties and Baltimore City, participated in more than 6,600 Maryland Humanities events in the last 5 years, 99 percent of which are absolutely free. Of direct participants being directly served by in person engagement, 40 percent are Maryland youth participating in in‐school programs (grades 4–12). These NEH funded programs provide critically needed formal and informal learning opportunities for youth and adults that enhance critical thinking and communications skills, foster a love of reading and lifelong learning, and engage friends, neighbors, and strangers in consideration of important historical events and current issues through respectful dialogue.
Note: Ben’s opponent, Tony Campbell, also received a survey. He chose not to respond.
Candidate Spotlight: Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland
Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger is running for reelection in the areas surrounding Baltimore.
Dutch opposed President Trump’s efforts to cut the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) by 60%. Instead, Dutch worked to increase funding for the HPF.
Dutch says he fully supports the National Historic Preservation Act and its process. To learn more about Dutch’s thoughts on historic preservation issues, read his answers to our candidate survey below:
- What is your name?
Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger
- In which Congressional district are you running for election?
MD-02
- Is there a historically significant place that is important to you in your Congressional district?
Yes, the entire Baltimore region is incredibly rich in history, from the birth place of the Star Spangled Banner at Fort McHenry, to the Chesapeake Historical Trail sites, to the Second District’s own Fort Howard.
- What do you think of current proposals in Congress to require Congressional approval of the President’s decision to designate national monuments?
Re-examining the Antiquities Act is a serious step that requires real hearings with expert witnesses and nonpartisan debate. I would hope that, if we undertake such legislative reform, we base it on an actual need and not just political whims and fancies. We need to make sure the Executive Branch does not have free reign to shrink designated monuments. Any reform effort should strengthen the hand of state and local stakeholders and allow them to fully participate in the process before any step is taken to alter designated monuments.
- The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects of federal undertakings on historic properties before approving a project. Federal undertakings include: projects that need a federal permit, receive federal funds, or are located on federal land. How do you think this law impacts our communities and development timelines?
I fully support the National Historic Preservation Act and its process. The impact to any historical nature of an area proposed for development should obviously be considered before ground is broken. This should be included in the development timeline – and any developer who wants to build on an historic property understands this.
- Have you had the opportunity to meet with the State Historic Preservation Officer and/or State Archaeologist? Have you met with any local preservation groups?
Yes, they come to my office on Capitol Hill.
- How do think that federal funding of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Science Foundation impacts our district?
As an Appropriator, I champion full funding for all three of these important programs. These funds have a tremendous impact on our district. In fact, a Franklin High School teacher was recently awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities award for teaching local children about the history of our state and community. Additionally, it might interest you to know that I fully support the Historic Preservation Fund, which President Trump proposed cutting by 60 percent. I fought to secure $92 million in the House finding bill as well as an amendment to increase the account by an additional $4.5 million during floor consideration.
Note: Dutch’s opponent, Liz Matory, also received a survey. She chose not to respond.
Candidate Spotlight: Amie Hoeber of Maryland
Amie Hoeber is a national security expert running for Congress in a district that includes Antietam Battlefield and the cities of Hagerstown and Frederick, Maryland.
Amie supports funding for the national endowments. She worries that cuts in federal funding for basic research in science will cause America to lose our technological leadership role.
To learn more about Amie’s thoughts on historic preservation issues, read his answers to our candidate survey below:
- What is your name?
Amie Hoeber
- In which Congressional district are you running for election?
Maryland’s Sixth Congressional District
- Is there a historically significant place that is important to you in your Congressional district?
Antietam Battlefield is in my District and it is a key historically significant place. The Monocacy Battlefield is also in the District and likewise is a key location. There are numerous other historically significant locations — some relating to the early colonial years of this great country and some relating to the Civil War.
- What do you think of current proposals in Congress to require Congressional approval of the President’s decision to designate national monuments?
I think that would be appropriate. I have not reviewed the specific proposals and would want to look at them in detail before making final judgments, but I believe that the views of the people, as reflected in their representatives in Congress, should be taken into account.
- The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects of federal undertakings on historic properties before approving a project. Federal undertakings include: projects that need a federal permit, receive federal funds, or are located on federal land. How do you think this law impacts our communities and development timelines?
‘Considering the effects’ is a very broad statement — it could mean anything. ‘Federal undertakings’ is also a broad designation. I believe that each project needs to be assessed on its individual merits and the positive and negative impacts on a variety of aspects need to be determined before projects can proceed.
- Have you had the opportunity to meet with the State Historic Preservation Officer and/or State Archaeologist? Have you met with any local preservation groups?
No, I have not done so at this time but will, if there is an opportunity, prior to the election, in order to become better educated on the interests of the Historic Preservation community.
- How do think that federal funding of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Science Foundation impacts our district?
There is concern that the reduction in federal funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts in particular will hamper programs in the District that provide a richness of culture throughout the District. As a strong advocate for the arts (my husband and I help support two theaters in Washington, D.C. and are also donors to the National Gallery), I hope that national support for the arts is not reduced very much. The issue of the National Science Foundation is a little different. The federal funding for basic research in science is also falling, and this is of concern both for the advancement of knowledge but also for the maintenance of our technical and economic preeminence. If we do not adequately support cutting edge science, we will lose our technological leadership role.
Note: Amie’s opponent, David Trone, also received a survey. He chose not to respond.
Candidate Spotlight: Jamie Raskin of Maryland
Congressman Jamie Raskin is running for reelection in Takoma Park, Maryland.
Jamie says, “In recent months, we have witnessed astonishing attacks by the Trump Administration on the Antiquities Act and the integrity of our national parks and monuments. I believe that we must preserve these historical and natural treasures for the sake of future generations and the enduring character of our nation.” He has spoken out strongly against President Trump’s efforts to shrink Bears Ears National Monument.
To learn more about Jamie’s thoughts on historic preservation issues, read his answers to our candidate survey below:
- What is your name?
Jamie Raskin
- In which Congressional district are you running for election?
Md-08
- Is there a historically significant place that is important to you in your Congressional district?
I am proud to represent such a scenic and storied Congressional District, which is comprised of three counties that stretch from the D.C. border to the Pennsylvania border. In northern Maryland, Frederick County is home to the beautiful Catoctin Mountain National Park and the rustic and charming Camp David, where for 70 years U.S. presidents have retreated from Washington’s political and natural heat. Civil War buffs like me love to visit the County’s numerous battlefields, as well as the National Museum of Civil War Medicine in downtown Frederick.
In central Maryland, rustic Carroll County’s rich farmlands have made it a center of productive agriculture for more than 200 years, and many descendants of the County’s early farming families still live here, such as the Shrivers (whose patriarch Sargent Shriver, husband of Eunice Kennedy, was the first director of the Peace Corps). There are dozens of farm houses and lands that are significant historically-registered sites.
As a next-door neighbor of the District of Columbia, Montgomery County is home to many federal agencies and historic sites, including NIH, NOAA, FDA, Glen Echo Park, the Rachel Carson House, the Clara Barton House, Brookside Gardens, stretches of Rock Creek Park and the C&O Canal, and countless other green spaces and renowned landmarks.
- What do you think of current proposals in Congress to require Congressional approval of the President’s decision to designate national monuments?
In recent months, we have witnessed astonishing attacks by the Trump Administration on the Antiquities Act and the integrity of our national parks and monuments. I believe that we must preserve these historical and natural treasures for the sake of future generations and the enduring character of our nation.
I do not support efforts to amend the Antiquities Act to require congressional approval of national monuments. President Obama created and expanded more national monuments and parks than any previous president, setting a resonant example for environmental stewardship and preservation. In these efforts, he encountered resistance from a GOP Congress, which introduced several bills attempting to amend the Antiquities Act to limit the president’s authority. Those bills did not pass in previous years, but new legislation threatening the Antiquities Act and our federal lands continues to be pushed in the 115th Congress. I will oppose and vote against any legislation that seeks to undermine the protection of existing national parks or the creation of new ones
Additionally, I have spoken out strongly against President Trump’s Executive Order rescinding critical protections for federal lands, including Bears Ears National Monument, and cosponsored H.R. 4518, the Bears Ears National Monument Expansion Act. I have also urged Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to maintain protections for our national parks and monuments and believe that national monuments cannot be abolished without approval from Congress.
- The National Historic Preservation Act requires federal agencies to consider the effects of federal undertakings on historic properties before approving a project. Federal undertakings include: projects that need a federal permit, receive federal funds, or are located on federal land. How do you think this law impacts our communities and development timelines?
As a strong supporter of conserving historic properties and protecting federal land, I understand that rushed attempts to move quickly on development projects can ruin the integrity and aesthetics of those communities and surrounding landscapes. I oppose changes to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) review process that would limit public input, consideration of historic resources, or opportunities for mitigation.
I have cosponsored H.R. 2242, the Keep It in the Ground Act, which prohibits offshore drilling and coal leases on federal lands, and the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which in part, goes towards the creation of new parks. I have also opposed H.J. Res. 46, another anti-environmental bill which would take an important regulation on drilling in national parks back to its language from 30 years ago.
Additionally, I proudly voted against the REINS Act (H.R. 26) and the Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA) (H.R. 5) when they came up for a vote in the House of Representatives last January. Both of these bills would make it more difficult for federal agencies to act expediently to protect our national heritage.
- Have you had the opportunity to meet with the State Historic Preservation Officer and/or State Archaeologist? Have you met with any local preservation groups?
Yes, in my capacity as a State Senator, I worked closely with all of them to advance the goals of historical and environmental preservation. I was honored recently to attend a spellbinding tour and fascinating historical presentation of one of Maryland’s unsung heroes, Reverend Josiah Henson, at Josiah Henson Park earlier this year during Black History Month. During my visit to the Park, which is part of the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, I was delighted to meet with Montgomery County archaeologist Cassandra Michaud and historian Shirl Spicer, who were instrumental in developing this site.
- How do think that federal funding of the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Science Foundation impacts our district?
In the annual appropriations process, I requested full funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Additionally, I requested full funding for the National Historic Preservation Fund, the HCBU Historic Preservation Fund, and the National Park Service.
I find the fiscal attacks on programs like the NEA, NEH, and NSF to be petty and destructive. While only a tiny portion of federal spending, the money to NEA, NEH, and the NSF is highly effective. These programs were established to inspire creativity and to ensure that all Americans, regardless of geographic, economic, or social status, have access to the arts, humanities, and sciences. The NEA and NEH fund irreplaceable programs and provide countless grants that support education and jobs in communities across the country, including Maryland’s 8th District.
Every dollar of federal funding spent by the NEA is matched by $9 of non-federal spending, which is an incredible economic incentive to fully fund this program. During the appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2019, I supported funding the NEA and the NEH at $155 million each and will continue working closely with my colleagues across the aisle to ensure that these programs get well-deserved funding in future spending measures. I am pleased that H.Amdt. 904, the Grothman amendment to the Interior, Environment and Financial Services appropriations bill for fiscal year 2019, which sought to cut funding to the NEA and NEH by 15 percent, was overwhelmingly defeated by the House of Representatives by a vote of 297 to 114.
As a member of the Congressional Arts Caucus and passionate supporter and consumer of the arts and sciences, I will do everything I can to protect the continued existence and embarrassingly modest funding of these agencies.
Note: Jamie’s opponent, John Walsh, also received a survey. He chose not to respond.
Congress is considering legislation that affects the future of heritage. Now is the time to make your voice heard! There’s no need to travel to D.C.; Congressmembers will be returning to their hometowns for the month of August. In this