Letter to Johnathan Jarvis, Director of the National Park Service - National Women's Hall of Fame Grant

Letter

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer called on the Department of the Interior (DOI) to expedite its approval of a Save America's Treasure grant (SAT) to the National Women's Hall of Fame (NWHF) in Seneca Falls. The Save American's Treasure grant was awarded in 2008 and since then the NWHF has fundraised local matching funds in order to be able to access the grant to help fund construction this year. The grant must be extended in order for NWHF to use the funding, but final approval to disburse the funds has been pending for over a month, which may stall construction plans and delay access for visitations of the historic site during the Induction weekend in October. Schumer pressed for a swift approval of the NWHF application because if the funds are not allocated by 2014, the grant money must be returned to the U.S treasury and remain unused.

"Seneca Falls was the founding site of one of our country's most important political movements, and the National Women's Hall of Fame has been commemorating that history since 1969. The Save America's Treasure grant is an important funding element that will enable the Hall to expand its facilities and outreach to visitors -- we can't let that grant slip away because of bureaucratic red tape," said Schumer.

Schumer continued, "That's why I'm urging the DOI to dot the i's and cross the t's on this crucial funding so that rehabilitation of this landmark can stay on track. The newly expanded facility for the National Women's Hall of Fame, once completed, will be a fantastic tourist destination and an anchor to continuing economic development in the Rochester -- Finger Lakes region, so there should be no delay. What's more, it will be a lasting testament to the courage of the men and women who started a movement, right here in the Rochester Finger Lakes region which led to women getting the ballot--a giant step forward in the progress of our democracy."

The NWHF received a DOI "Save Americas Treasures" grant several years ago to help finance their move into the historic Seneca Knitting Mill. The grant was preliminarily approved for extension earlier this year. Schumer noted that only a final approval, which is essentially just a bureaucratic step, stands in the way of the NWHF receiving the grant funding. Currently, the NWHF is in the process of beginning Phase II renovations of the historic mill, which includes installing a new roof, paying for design plans, stabilizing the walls, asbestos abatement and other infrastructure improvements. Schumer highlighted that without the grant funding, the NWHF will not be able to fully complete this critical phase of the rehabilitation before winter sets it. In addition, Schumer pointed out that this type of grant will be expiring in 2014, and unless it is allocated in a timely fashion, the funds will be returned to the U.S. Treasury instead of being allocated to this worthwhile project.

Schumer has long fought to support recognition of the women's suffrage movement in the region. The Rochester Finger Lakes area is home to many historic Suffragist movement sites including the home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton in Seneca Falls and Susan B. Anthony's home in Rochester. In 2009, Schumer cosponsored legislation as a part of the 2009 omnibus Public Land Management Act to help preserve and support the historic sites in the Rochester Finger Lakes region that are essential to the suffrage movement and United States history, which included The Votes for Women Trail Act. The Votes for Women Trail Act, an act that created a trail linking the historic landmarks in the region and helped promote the legacy of the women's suffrage movement.

A copy of Senator Schumer's letter to the Director of the National Park Service Jonathan Jarvis appears below:

Dear Director Jarvis,

I write to ask you to expedite the obligation of a $246,000.00 grant that was awarded in 2008 to the National Women's Hall of Fame (NWHF) from the Save America's Treasures Grant Program. It is critical that the National Women's Hall of Fame (NWHF) in Seneca Falls, New York receive this grant disbursement in order to move forward with their plan to rehabilitate the historic 1800's Knitting Mill building in the heart of Seneca Falls into the new home of the National Women's Hall of Fame. I understand that they have submitted the application to obligate the funding and final approval is now pending through the National Park Service.

The National Women's Hall of Fame in particular is the nation's oldest membership organization dedicated to celebrating and recognizing the achievements of great American women, and Seneca Falls, New York is the birthplace of the American Women's Rights movement. There, in 1848, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and over 300 other women and men held the first Woman's Rights Convention, ultimately leading to the ratification of the 19th amendment to the Constitution in 1920. This October they will be holding their induction ceremony, which is held every two years in Seneca Falls. Without this funding they will be unable to move forward as planned with critical construction on phase II of the project, which includes master plan design work, stabilizing the walls, new roof construction, asbestos and lead abatement, and creating a clean safe space on the first floor for visitor to see the progress being made. Therefore, it is imperative that these funds be obligated as soon as possible.

In addition to reclaiming this historic structure to serve as the new home for the NWHF and its programming, this development will create a national tourist destination in the heart of Seneca Falls, attracting visitors and helping to anchor continued economic development in this region. Moreover, not only will the Knitting Mill, which is situated on the banks of the historic Erie Canal, be home to exhibits and artifacts honoring our nation's women, but it will also be a state-of --the art facility paying tribute to the industrial workers of Seneca Falls who worked on the Mill and the Erie Canal.

The timely disbursement of this Save America's Treasures grant is imperative since the funding availability will lapse and expire in the summer of 2014, jeopardizing the completion of this momentous historical project. I thank you for considering this as a top priority.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Schumer

U.S. Senator

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