Stabenow, Peters Announce Bipartisan Legislation to Support MotorCities National Heritage Area

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI) today announced a bipartisan bill to support National Heritage Areas across the country including Michigan’s MotorCities National Heritage Area in Southeast Michigan. The National Heritage Area Act (S. 3217) establishes standard criteria for the funding, management and designation of National Heritage Areas across the country and sets an annual authorization of $1 million for all National Heritage Areas. The text of the bill can be read here.

Designated by Congress in 1998, the MotorCities National Heritage Area Partnership is a nonprofit corporation affiliated with the National Park Service. The Partnership’s mission is to preserve and promote the region’s automotive and labor heritage. Every year, MotorCities promotes tourism and helps generate $410 million in economic support to Michigan communities, supporting 4,560 jobs.

In February 2019, the Senate passed the Preserving the MotorCities Heritage Act authored by Senators Stabenow and Peters to support funding for MotorCities through 2021. The National Heritage Area Act ensures that funding will be stable in the years ahead for MotorCities and other heritage areas across the country.

“National Heritage Areas not only commemorate our nation’s history, but also create jobs and boost tourism for communities across the country,” said Senator Stabenow. “This legislation ensures that Michigan’s own MotorCities National Heritage Area can continue to preserve and share our rich automotive history for generations to come.”

“The MotorCities National Heritage Area not only recognizes Michigan as the state that transformed the automotive world, but it also inspires future generations of scientists, public servants, artists and tradesmen to keep inventing and innovating,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan bill reaffirms the importance of National Heritage Areas to our country and helps ensure these regions have support in the future.”

“This bill recognizes the key role National Heritage Areas play in preserving and telling relevant stories of our history that rise to the level of national importance”, said Shawn Pomaville-Size, Executive Director of the MotorCities National Heritage Area. ”The leadership of Senator Stabenow and Senator Peters on behalf of both the Alliance of National Heritage Areas and the MotorCities National Heritage Area will provide the necessary stability so that across the country, we can continue to make a profound economic and cultural impact in the regions where we serve. We are all very grateful for their support.”

U.S. Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), and Ed Markey (D-MA) are also co-sponsors of the National Heritage Area Act (S. 3217). Representative Paul Tonko (NY-20) is the author of the House companion bill, which is co-sponsored by 206 Members in the House. The National Heritage Area Act is supported by the Alliance of National Heritage Areas and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).