July 11, 2026
Dear Friends,
Over the past week, as we continue to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, I’ve been reminded often of the powerful role our past plays in shaping our present. 250 years ago, our founders established a new nation founded on the revolutionary idea that all citizens deserve a government by, for, and of the people — a promise that still forms the bedrock of our constitutional order.
Ever since this nation’s founding, each period of our history has brought with it lessons that helped move us forward in our generational struggle to build a brighter future. If we are to succeed in that struggle, we must continue to honor our heritage and learn from our history — and I spent this week doing just that.
Earlier this week, I visited Ten Broeck Mansion in Albany, the historic home of Revolutionary War general Abraham Ten Broeck, to hold a press conference in celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday and to highlight the stark contrast between Donald Trump’s vision of America — exclusive, chauvinistic, and inegalitarian — and our Capital Region’s vision of America — inclusive, democratic and just. I was joined there by military veterans, constitutional experts, historic preservation advocates, and constituents representing our region’s immigrant and Indigenous communities — each of whom spoke powerfully about what our nation’s history means to them. These constituents all offered a unique perspective on that history, but each of their stories reminded us that, while our nation has not always lived up to the ideals it was founded upon, our revolutionary history still provides us with a roadmap toward a better future.
Few areas of our country boast a stronger revolutionary heritage than our own Capital Region, and I was proud this week to spend time with those who help keep that history alive. On Tuesday, I visited the Saratoga National Historic Park and the Saratoga Battlefield Monument, where I learned from park rangers and National Park Service volunteers about how the ragtag group of farmers, laborers, and ordinary citizens known as the Continental Army turned the tide of the American Revolution at the Battles of Saratoga.
I was also joined at those sites by Saratoga County Historian Lauren Roberts, who accompanied me on a trip to downtown Saratoga Springs, where we visited the Olde Bryan Inn — a beloved local restaurant first founded in 1773 by Alexander Bryan, who served as a spy for American forces during the Revolution — and Impressions of Saratoga, a gift and souvenir shop selling a wide variety of merchandise that highlights our local history. The continued success of establishments like these shows us that honoring our historic heritage doesn’t just help us learn more about our past — it also helps strengthen our future by bolstering our local economy.
Our nation’s museums and other cultural institutions also play a leading role in helping us learn from our history. When I stopped this week at the New York State Museum’s new Revolutionary New York exhibit, I was reminded once again that America’s history — like any nation’s — is filled with pain and hardship as well as triumph and achievement. When people like President Trump try to erase that history through attacks on the Smithsonian Institution and other museums, they do not make that history any less real. They only condemn our nation to a future of weakness, ignorance, and failure to learn from our past mistakes.
Last week, amid blistering attacks on his institution from the President and his allies, Lonnie G. Bunch III, head of the Smithsonian Institution, summed up the dangers of attempting to whitewash our history. “It scares me when people aren’t brave enough to face their history,” Bunch said. “And in some ways, you have to face it anyway.” Today, Americans are being forced to reckon with many of the same challenges that troubled our founders. Like the patriots of 1776, we are faced with a would-be tyrant who instigates foreign wars and forces his own people to pay for them, all while depriving the same people of the essential things they need to live a dignified life. So, just as our founders came together to unite thirteen quarreling colonies in opposition to the tyrant of their day, we too must put aside our differences, learn from our successes and our failures, and put our knowledge to work as we strive toward a more perfect union.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- The National Park Service (NPS) is now accepting applications for grants through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program!
- The ORLP Program supports the creation and improvement of local parks and outdoor recreation spaces in qualifying urban areas of 25,000+ residents or in areas administered by Federally Recognized Tribes.
- ORLP awards range from $300,000 to $15 million, funding land acquisition, new park development, and renovation of existing outdoor recreation facilities.
- If you need assistance applying for an ORLP award, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) is working in partnership with NPS to launch a new, no-cost ORLP Technical Assistance Program!
- Through this program, TPL will provide potential applicants with:
- An ORLP application support webinar series
- One-on-one ORLP applicant support
- Self-service resources for ORLP applicants
- ORLP applications are due to NPS each year by November 1st at 11:59 PM ET.
- For more information about this program or to determine whether your project is eligible for funding, click HERE!
