U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18) announced Fri., Dec. 12 that a measure to reauthorize the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area designation passed the Senate in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This reauthorization gives the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area breaks to promote recreation and tourism, with federal funding for local projects. The legislation already passed the House on Dec. 4, and now heads to the President’s desk for signature. “The Hudson River Valley is truly one of America’s richest treasures, and holds enormous potential that we are still unlocking,” Senator Gillibrand said. First authorized in 1996, the National Heritage authorization expired in 2012, and was extended for just a year, in 2013 and also 2014. The designation -- from Saratoga to Westchester -- lasts through 2021.