Advocacy Alert: National Archives FY 2022 Funding

April 15, 2021—The National Coalition for History (NCH) has worked with Representatives John Larson (D-CT), Don Young (R-AK), and Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) to seek support for additional funding in the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2022 budget for the National Archives and Records Administration and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

These representatives have circulated a “Dear Colleague” letter to their fellow representatives urging them to show their support. The letter will be sent to the chair and ranking member of the House Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the NARA and NHPRC budgets. View the letter here.

The archives, history, and humanities communities are asking the House Appropriations Committee to provide at least $433 million for NARA’s operating expenses in FY22 and at least $13 million for NHPRC. NARA’s operating expenses budget in constant dollars has remained stagnant for more than a decade, even as its responsibilities have increased. When adjusted for inflation, NARA’s budget has decreased by 10% since 2012. NARA today has fewer employees than it did in 1985.

Take Action Now! Ask your representative to sign on to the letter in support of additional funding for NARA and NHPRC.

Visit the NCH website for step-by-step instructions about how to contact Congress on this matter that is so vital to the archives, history, and humanities communities. You have the option of sending an email or making a phone call.

This call to action is for the House only. NCH will have a similar “Dear Colleague” letter in the Senate soon.  

SAA is a member of the National Coalition for History Policy Board. Read more about NCH here.