The Alliance of National Heritage Areas honors four public servants that have supported and advanced America’s National Heritage Areas.
WASHINGTON, DC (February 10, 2025) – A current Cabinet secretary, two members of the House, and a former U.S. Senator are 2025 Heritage Champions. The awardees were recognized during the Alliance of National Heritage Areas’ (ANHA) annual Congressional Breakfast and Awards Reception, which took place yesterday in the Rayburn House Office Building. Heritage Champions have gone above and beyond to support and advance America’s National Heritage Areas.
2025 Heritage Champions are:
- The Honorable Doug Burgum, current Secretary of the Interior and former Governor of North Dakota (R). As Governor, Secretary Burgum was a strong supporter of the Northern Plains National Heritage Area. He also offered support for the passage of the National Heritage Area Act.
- Former Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD). As Senator, Cardin was instrumental in the designation of one of the newest NHAs – Southern Maryland National Heritage Area.
- U.S. Representative Raul Grijalva (D-AZ). Rep. Grijalva has been a longtime champion of National Heritage Areas, including his leadership on the House Natural Resources Committee.
- U.S. Representative Darin LaHood (R-IL). Rep. LaHood led the effort to reauthorize Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (ALNHA), following in the footsteps of his father Ray LaHood, who as a member of Congress sponsored the original legislation that created ALNHA.
The bipartisan co-chairs of the Congressional National Heritage Area Caucus, Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-PA) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), spoke at the breakfast.
“Heritage Champions play a vital role in telling America’s story and celebrating our shared, national heritage,” said Sara Capen, Chairwoman of ANHA. “2025 honorees represent states across the country and hail from different political parties, but they have all provided steadfast support for America’s National Heritage Areas. Our work would not be possible without their leadership and tireless efforts, which we know will continue in the years ahead. It is our honor to recognize Secretary Burgum, former Senator Cardin, Rep. Grijalva, and Rep. LaHood as 2025 Heritage Champions.”
President Ronald Reagan established National Heritage Areas in 1984 when he signed a bill that created the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Area. Since then, 61 additional NHAs have been created across the United States, all through community-led efforts. Rather than an enclosed park as is typical of other programs administered by the National Park Service (NPS), NHAs are lived-in spaces that often span large geographic areas that cross multiple jurisdictions, including more than 600 counties in 35 states and one territory.
Focus areas for NHAs are varied and include the American Revolution, the Civil War, westward expansion, natural resource development, the auto and aviation industries, farming, transportation, manufacturing, and the natural beauty of the country.
NHAs are administered by a local coordinating entity and receive matching funds through the National Park Service but are not National Park units. Importantly, they do not impact the private property rights of existing landowners within or adjacent to an NHA designation. In addition to Congressionally authorized matching funds, NPS provides technical assistance and a strong partnership. In 2023, NHAs leveraged $48 million in non-federal donations and in-kind support to carry out their work – nearly double their federal funding. 2.4 million people attended NHA-sponsored events in 2023.
In 2023, the National Heritage Area Act (S. 1942) became law. One of ANHA’s top priorities, the National Heritage Area Act, created standard criteria for the funding, management, and designation of National Heritage Areas across the country and provides them an annual authorization of up to $1 million per year for 15 years. S. 1942 provided certainty and funding for 45 NHAs whose authorizations were set to sunset by the end of 2024. S. 1942 also authorized seven new National Heritage Areas.
What they’re saying:
"Baltimore National Heritage Area will be forever grateful to former Senator Cardin and his work on behalf of our city and state," saidShauntee Daniels, Executive Director of Baltimore National Heritage Area. "He was a driving force behind our original authorization and always had our backs when we needed it. While we will miss him in Congress, his leadership will live on through our programming and work to celebrate the people, culture, and history of Baltimore."
“Southern Maryland has one of the newest National Heritage Areas thanks to the leadership of former Senator Cardin, who received the National Heritage Champion Award, as well as Rep. Steny Hoyer and Senator Chris Van Hollen,” said Lucille Walker, Executive Director of the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area. “Senator Cardin was our lead sponsor and recognized early this region’s remarkable significance to the nation’s history and culture that should be celebrated, preserved, and enhanced. We owe a debt of gratitude for his tireless efforts to ensure that we can tell Maryland’s - and the country’s – powerful story.”
“As Rep. Grijalva caps a 20-plus year career in Congress, it’s an honor to bestow another distinction on him: Heritage Champion,” said Lesley Kontowicz, Executive Director of the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area. “Rep. Grijalva led the decade-long effort to create the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area and understands NHAs’ unique abilities to celebrate the history, culture, and traditions of communities across the country. Though he will be missed in Congress, his legacy lives on through our work and its impact across southern Arizona.”
“Since arriving in Congress, Rep. LaHood has been a champion for the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area and a strong supporter of National Heritage Areas,” said Sarah Watson, Executive Director of Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area. “His belief in celebrating the best of America follows in the footsteps of Abraham Lincoln and his father Ray LaHood, both of whom also represented Central Illinois in Congress. Rep. LaHood is a worthy Heritage Champion and we look forward to working with him to tell the story of 16th President and the communities that shaped him.”