S.Amdt. 620

1. 1

   Change 1: Inserts new text on page 956, between lines 7 and 8

   InsertsPrinted page

   Inserted: nextgen acceleration For grants or other agreements to accelerate the transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System by accelerating deployment of ground infrastructure for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, by accelerating development of procedures and routes that support performance-based air navigation, to incentivize aircraft equipage to use such infrastructure, procedures, and routes, and for additional agency administrative costs associated with the certification and oversight of the deployment of such systems, $165,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2010: Provided, That the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall use the authority under section 106(l)(6) of title 49, United States Code, to make such grants or agreements: Provided further, That, with respect to any incentives for equipage, the Federal share of the costs shall not exceed 50 percent.

   Original wording

   On page 956, between lines 7 and 8, insert the following:

2. 2

   Change 2: Replaces “$550,000,000” with “$475,000,000”

   ReplacesPage 991, line 20Printed page

   In H.R. 1105 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   operating grants to the national railroad passenger corporation

   To enable the Secretary of Transportation to make quarterly grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for operation of intercity passenger rail, [struck: $550,000,000][inserted: $475,000,000], to remain available until expended: Provided, That the Secretary shall withhold such sums as shall be necessary for the costs associated with the second retroactive wage payment to Amtrak employees and shall transmit such funding to the corporation for the sole and exclusive purpose of making such payments only at such time as said payments are due: Provided further, That such remaining amounts available under this paragraph shall be available for the Secretary to approve funding to cover operating losses for the Corporation only after receiving and reviewing a grant request for each specific train route: Provided further, That each such grant request shall be accompanied by a detailed financial analysis, revenue projection, and capital expenditure projection justifying the Federal support to the Secretary's satisfaction: Provided further, That the Corporation is directed to achieve savings through operating efficiencies including, but not limited to, modifications to food and beverage service and first class service: Provided further, That the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation shall report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations beginning 3 months after the date of the enactment of this Act and quarterly thereafter with estimates of the savings accrued as a result of all operational reforms instituted by the Corporation: Provided further, That not later than 120 days after enactment of this Act, the Corporation shall transmit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations the status of its plan to improve the financial performance of food and beverage service and its plan to improve the financial performance of first class service (including sleeping car service): Provided further, That the Corporation shall report quarterly to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on its progress against the milestones and target dates contained in the plan provided in fiscal year 2008 and quantify savings realized to date on a monthly basis compared to those projected in the plan, identify any changes in the plan or delays in implementing these plans, and identify the causes of delay and proposed corrective measures: Provided further, That not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act, the Corporation shall transmit, in electronic format, to the Secretary, the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation a comprehensive business plan approved by the Board of Directors for fiscal year 2009 under section 24104(a) of title 49, United States Code: Provided further, That the business plan shall include, as applicable, targets for ridership, revenues, and capital and operating expenses: Provided further, That the plan shall also include a separate accounting of such targets for the Northeast Corridor; commuter service; long-distance Amtrak service; State- supported service; each intercity train route, including Autotrain; and commercial activities including contract operations: Provided further, That the business plan shall include a description of the work to be funded, along with cost estimates and an estimated timetable for completion of the projects covered by this business plan: Provided further, That the Corporation shall continue to provide monthly reports in electronic format regarding the pending business plan, which shall describe the work completed to date, any changes to the business plan, and the reasons for such changes, and shall identify all sole source contract awards which shall be accompanied by a justification as to why said contract was awarded on a sole source basis: Provided further, That the Corporation's business plan and all subsequent supplemental plans shall be displayed on the Corporation's website within a reasonable timeframe following their submission to the appropriate entities: Provided further, That none of the funds under this heading may be obligated or expended until the Corporation agrees to continue abiding by the provisions of paragraphs 1, 2, 5, 9, and 11 of the summary of conditions for the direct loan agreement of June 28, 2002, in the same manner as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That none of the funds provided in this Act may be used after March 1, 2006, to support any route on which Amtrak offers a discounted fare of more than 50 percent off the normal, peak fare: Provided further, That the preceding proviso does not apply to routes where the operating loss as a result of the discount is covered by a State and the State participates in the setting of fares: Provided further, That of the amounts made available under this heading not less than $18,500,000 shall be available for the Amtrak Office of Inspector General.

   capital and debt service grants to the national railroad passenger corporation

   Original wording

   On page 991, line 20, strike “$550,000,000” and insert “$475,000,000”.

3. 3

   Change 3: Replaces “$940,000,000” with “$850,000,000”

   ReplacesPage 995, line 13Printed page

   In H.R. 1105 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   capital and debt service grants to the national railroad passenger corporation

   To enable the Secretary of Transportation to make quarterly grants to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation for the maintenance and repair of capital infrastructure owned by the Corporation, including railroad equipment, rolling stock, legal mandates and other services, [struck: $940,000,000][inserted: $850,000,000], to remain available until expended, of which not to exceed $285,000,000 shall be for debt service obligations: Provided, That the Secretary may retain up to one-quarter of 1 percent of the funds under this heading to fund the oversight by the Federal Railroad Administration of the design and implementation of capital projects funded by grants made under this heading: Provided further, That the Secretary shall approve funding for capital expenditures, including advance purchase orders of materials, for the Corporation only after receiving and reviewing a grant request for each specific capital grant justifying the Federal support to the Secretary's satisfaction: Provided further, That none of the funds under this heading may be used to subsidize operating losses of the Corporation: Provided further, That none of the funds under this heading may be used for capital projects not approved by the Secretary of Transportation or on the Corporation's fiscal year 2009 business plan: Provided further, That, the business plan shall be accompanied by a comprehensive fleet plan for all Amtrak rolling stock which shall address the Corporation's detailed plans and timeframes for the maintenance, refurbishment, replacement and expansion of the Amtrak fleet: Provided further, That said fleet plan shall establish year-specific goals and milestones and discuss potential, current, and preferred financing options for all such activities.

   efficiency incentive grants to the national railroad passenger corporation

   Original wording

   On page 995, line 13, strike “$940,000,000” and insert “$850,000,000”.

Read automatically from the Congressional Record. Check the original before relying on it.

As printed