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The U.S. House of Representatives today passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Paul Tonko that takes care of a number of technical issues related to the U.S. National Park Service, including a ten-year reauthorization of the National Park System Advisory Board and the National Park Service Concession Management Advisory Board. The bill, H.R. 3804, also raises the ceiling for the popular Volunteers in Parks program from $3.5 million to $10 million. The money is used to reimburse volunteers for travel costs or other small expenses. The Volunteers in Parks program is critical to the operation of the National Park System. "I am pleased to be able to help the National Park Service move forward," said Rep. Tonko. "The preservation of our parks, heritage areas, forests and public lands is vital to remembering who we are as a nation. It is my intention to work with the Park Service on legislation that would promote partnerships between state and national heritage areas, to help strengthen assets such as the Erie Canal Corridor in Eastern New York."The legislation also includes the following:ö At the request of the National Park Service, it changes the designation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site in Atlanta to the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Historical Park.ö Makes several minor boundary adjustments that will allow the National Park Service to cooperate with other sites near the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial to make ticketing easier for visitors. ö Strengthens law enforcement in the National Park System by increasing and standardizing penalties for violations of park laws.The National Park System Advisory Board was created in 1935 and advises the National Park Service Director and the Secretary of the Interior on programs such as the designation of historic landmarks and proposed national historic trails. Reauthorizing this board will maintain the excellent management standards set by the National Park Service.The Concession Management Advisory Board was established in 1998, and advises the Director and the Secretary of the Interior on the effective management of concession units within the parks system. Reauthorization of the board is critical to ensure that lodging, transportation, dining and other services remain of the highest quality.