Asa Hutchinson: “I commend the work that the committee has done. I think it is an excellent Interior appropriation bill. I think this…”

“I commend the work that the committee has done. I think it is an excellent Interior appropriation bill. I think this amendment is important. Mr. Chairman, the amendment that I am offering today is based on the principle that the Government, especially in this time of severe budget constraints, should not and cannot financially support every interest group, particularly those which have demonstrated the clear ability to be self-sufficient. My amendment would eliminate the Federal subsidy for the National Trust for Historic Preservation and save the taxpayers $3.5 million. Now let me emphasize that my intention is not to abolish the Trust or the many good programs that they carry out--but to remove a totally unnecessary Federal subsidy. The Trust is a congressionally chartered organization established by an act of Congress in 1949. Its original primary mission was to preserve buildings, sites, and objects of historical significance, but since this time, the Trust has acquired 18 such historic properties. But today, the Trust only allocates about 20 percent of their annual $33 million budget to this primary mission. In fact, Mr. Chairman, the Trust has adopted significant administrative barriers which substantially preclude them from carrying out their primary mission. The Trust does not accept new properties unless they are fully endowed to cover all future operating expenses.”