Senate passes bill containing Route 66 program January 15, 2009
Posted by Ron Warnick in Preservation.trackback
The U.S. Senate approved the massive public lands bill by a 73-21 margin Thursday afternoon, reported the Clovis (N.M.) News-Journal.
The measure contains 160 bills, including a reauthorization of the well-regarded Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program for another 10 years. The Route 66 program provides cost-share grants and other assistances to historic businesses and property owners on the Mother Road, and had been slated to sunset in late 2009.
The measure had been held up for weeks by a legislative hold by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called a rare Sunday session a few days ago, and the Senate easily advanced the measure.
A similar measure goes to the House. The bill, reintroduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) last week, will likely be among the first bills signed into law by President-elect Barack Obama.
[...] Longtime program manager Michael Romero Taylor has moved on to a new post at the National Parks Service’s National Trails office. His cohort for the entire tenure of the program, Kaisa Barthuli, will become the acting program manager until it sunsets late this year — unless it is reauthorized by Congress for another 10 years, which is looking increasingly likely. [...]
That’s great news, Ron. I’m glad that it looks likely that they will continue the program.