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of Engineers water projects, including over 900 projects for navigation, environmental restoration, and hurricane, flood or storm damage reduction in 23 states. (Carolyn Berndt, berndt@nlc.org, 202.626.3101) Amtrak Reauthorization Passes the Senate The Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2007 (PRIIA), which passed the Senate in November, would reauthorize Amtrak through 2012 and provide $11.4 billion for the rail system over the next six years. This six-year authorization, which NLC supports, would provide Amtrak, whose last authorization expired in 2002, with stability and allow for long-term planning. The bill proposes $3.3 billion for operation subsidies and $4.9 billion for capital improvements, plus $1.4 billion for upgrades of other urban rail systems. Over the life of the bill, Amtrak's operating subsidy would be reduced by 40 percent through cost cutting, restructuring, and reform, while capital funding to Amtrak and the states for intercity passenger rail projects would be increased. The bill features a new funding source, the Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Program. The purpose of the grant program is to grow Amtrak rider-ship while allowing states to take a more active role in designing their own specific rail solutions and bearing a greater share of the cost. The House will likely introduce a bill early next year that builds upon the Senate version. (Carolyn Berndt, berndt@nlc.org, 202.626.3101) Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Congress was unable to reach agreement on a reauthorization of federal airport programs in time for the September 2007 expiration of the program. However, Congress currently extended the program, as well as the taxes that support it, in the omnibus appropriations bill. The Administration had sought major changes in the program, including a change in the tax structure supported by commercial airlines, reduction of general revenues for airport programs, and elimination of programs for small airports. Congress rejected most of the changes in the reauthorization bills but was unsuccessful in reaching agreement on the imposition of new fees on private jets. The reauthorization bill approved by the House did include an increase in the ceiling for passenger facility charges from the current $4.50 to $7.00, an increase supported by NLC. The Senate has yet to reach agreement on a proposal. (Leslie Wollack, wollack@nlc.org, 202.626.3029) Surface Transportation Reauthorization Aginginfrastructure and congested highways will continue to keep transportation funding on the Congressional agenda as debate on the future of the federal surface transportation program gets underway. Concern over shortfalls in revenue from the Highway Trust Fund, the inadequacy of current financing methods to keep up with demand, and the bridge collapse in Minneapolis has renewed attention on the safety of crumbling roads, bridges and tunnels. While Congress has maintained spending on roads, highways, bridges, and transit programs, the calls for an updated national vision for transportation that includes the connection between transportation and energy will begin with the release of the National Surface Transportation Revenue Study Commission findings early in the second th session of the 110 Congress. Congress remains skeptical of the administration's reliance on public private partnerships as the answer to national surface transportation needs, and the debate will intensify as the September 2009 expiration date for the