H.R. 1950 (112th Congress) Title 54, United States Code National Park System
	BACKGROUND Since the mid-19th century, numerous laws relating to the organization and management of the National Park System by the National Park Service have been enacted. The Service also is responsible for carrying out the Historic Sites, Buildings, and Antiquities Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and other laws relating to protecting and preserving sites that illustrate America’s history. These laws have been classified as part of Title 16, Conservation, but are classified throughout title 16 rather than being in one distinct place in the title. Furthermore, as laws relating to the National Park System are amended and new laws are enacted that relate closely to these laws, the Code classifications have become cumbersome to use. H.R. 1950 gathers provisions relating to the National Park System and restates these provisions as a new positive law title of the United States Code. The new positive law title replaces the former provisions, which are repealed by the bill. The bill was prepared by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel as part of its ongoing responsibility under section 205(c) of House Resolution No. 988, 93d Congress, as enacted into law by Public Law 93-544 (2 U.S.C. 285b), to prepare and submit to the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, one title at a time, a complete compilation, restatement, and revision of the general and permanent laws of the United States. All changes in existing law made by the bill are purely technical in nature. The bill was prepared in accordance with the statutory standard for codification legislation, which is that the restatement of existing law shall conform to the understood policy, intent, and purpose of the Congress in the original enactments, with such amendments and corrections as will remove ambiguities, contradictions, and other imperfections. A predecessor bill, H.R. 6161, was introduced in the 110th Congress on September 22, 2010. No action was taken before the 110th Congress adjourned sine die. MAJOR ACTIONS & STATUS H.R. 1950 was introduced by Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Conyers on May 23, 2011. Chairman Smith placed an introductory statement in the Congressional Record inviting interested parties to review the bill and submit comments to the Law Revision Counsel. Each comment was reviewed and meetings were held with many of the parties that submitted comments. A substitute bill that incorporates the comments was prepared and H.R. 1950, as amended, was ordered favorably reported by the Committee on July 10, 2012. H.R. 1950, as amended, was reported by the Committee on July 31, 2012, and was passed by the House of Representatives on August 1, 2012. On August 2, 2012, the bill was received in the Senate and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate. RELATED LINKS (1) H.R. 1950 (2) H. Rept. 112-631 QUESTIONS & COMMENTS Questions and comments about H.R. 1950 and the title 54 codification project should be directed to:      Kenneth I. Paretzky, Senior Counsel      Office of the Law Revision Counsel      U.S. House of Representatives      Washington, D.C. 20515      Email: Ken Paretzky      Telephone: (202) 226-9061