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August 24, 2019
This week I had the pleasure of participating and celebrating the rich heritage of our Capital Region. Whether cheering on visitors at our Erie Canalway or dropping by the Schuyler Sisters exhibit at the Albany Institute before seeing Hamilton at Proctor’s Theatre in Schenectady, my week was rich with the culture and heritage that has long made our corner of these United States so special. Here’s just some of what I got to do this week:
- An Arts and Humanities Grants Workshop where I kicked off the week. This grants workshop aims to equip our region to be even better prepared to win these very competitive federal grants. If you ever need assistance with the federal grants process, do not hesitate to be in touch with me and my staff.
- Hosted a constituent meeting where we convened leading entrepreneurs who are building the future of our creative economy.
Historic sites and cultural centers instill in us a sense of place. They can also be important economic drivers supporting meaningful job creation and income growth. Living here, it can be easy to take for granted the role that our heritage, the arts and our growing creative economy play in enriching our everyday lives. But these and resources like them around the country are more than just cultural and artistic treasures.
- Cultural heritage tourism adds more than $192 billion to the U.S. economy every year
- Public & private partners match an average of $5.50 for every $1 in federal funding at heritage sites
- These sites support more than 148,000 jobs in communities across the U.S. every year, and that’s not all!
- 53,000 volunteers engage with 49 established heritage areas each year
- 200 education programs that reach more than 600,000 people a year
- 880 miles of new trails & nearly 200 miles of preserved waterways & historic canals have been added by these partnerships
- Water and air quality improvements are a celebrated outcome of many heritage restoration projects
Serving as your representative in Congress, and as a co-chair of the Congressional Heritage Caucus, I often get to brag to my colleagues about the history and heritage that make New York’s 20th Congressional District such a special place to call home. And that drives the point home for me that we cannot afford to take our history or our heritage for granted. That is why I continue to fight in Congress to build programs and secure funding that preserves our heritage while growing our economy.
- This year I introduced H.R. 1049, the National Heritage Area Act, which establishes, for the first time, a set of formal criteria for designating new National Heritage Areas, and creates a rigorous process for maintaining existing National Heritage Areas.
- Earlier this year I recognized an oversight that would have cut off federal funding for the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. I successfully pushed legislative language through the House to raise the funding cap. I continue to work with our Senators and the New York delegation to get this over the finish line and to protect this critical funding.
- A 2018 economic impact study found a $1.3 billion annual impact on tourism from the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and a National Park Service study determined the economic impact of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor was $307.7 million, supporting 3,240 jobs and generating $34.9 million in tax revenue.
- I have carried the fight for funding for America’s museums by leading the Office of Museum Services funding letter. America’s museums contribute $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year and spend more than $2 billion annually on educational activities. They support more than 726,000 American jobs, spurring tourism and contributing to the cultural fabric of our nation.
Thanks to all who helped make these events such an unconditional success, and to all who have helped me in these efforts to lift up and safeguard our Capital Region heritage, culture and economy!
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As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
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