Preservation groups tell House that removed park signage and staff cuts risk whitewashing history

Nonprofit witnesses and members of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee warned that recent removals of interpretive panels at multiple National Park Service sites and deep staffing declines threaten the agency’s ability to present accurate and inclusive historical narratives.

Alan Spears, senior director for cultural resources at the National Parks Conservation Association, told the panel the park service has lost roughly 25% of its permanent workforce in 2025 — about 4,000 positions — and that removals of panels and signage at sites such as the President’s House in Philadelphia and at Grand Canyon National Park have followed an administration directive urging changes in interpretation.

"When you begin to pick at words to soften and sanitize and to erase history, that is a dangerous precipice to be on," Spears said. He and other witnesses displayed examples of panels that described slavery, forced removal of Indigenous peoples and other difficult subjects; members of the committee said those removals risk alienating communities whose histories are represented and reduce public trust in federal stewardship.

Witnesses representing park partners said nonprofit support is essential — funding renovations, rehousing staff and presenting programs — but that such partnerships cannot replace a fully staffed Park Service. "Local nonprofits can be nimble, but they cannot replace the on-site expertise and the curatorial capacity of career historians, ethnographers and museum specialists," Spears said.

Members cited examples: interpretive panels at Independence National Historical Park that addressed enslaved people in George Washington’s household were removed, and signage at the Grand Canyon about forced removals of Indigenous peoples was reportedly taken down after direction from the Department of the Interior. Several witnesses described specific programs — museum renovations, youth engagement and habitat restoration — that are at risk if hiring and funding shortfalls continue.

Lawmakers from both parties urged safeguards: protect on-the-ground historians and collection specialists, keep interpretive content developed with local communities and tribes intact, and restore NPS hiring to meet the demand of increased visitation expected during the 250th. Several witnesses said they would support congressional reauthorization and targeted appropriations to restore capacity and to ensure commemorations are accurate, inclusive and locally led.

The hearing record will remain open for follow-up questions; committee members signaled plans for further oversight and possible legislative proposals to bolster transparency and to fund staffing and preservation work ahead of major anniversary events.