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Rep. Jack Quinn (R-N.Y.) recently told a group of railroaders he expects 2004 to be among Congress' busiest-ever for transportation issues, according to Association of American Railroads.

Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee's Railroad Subcommittee, Quinn addressed about 200 members of the AAR, American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association and Railway Supply Institute at a meeting Oct. 2 in Washington, D.C., jointly sponsored by the three organizations.

T&I Committee Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) is requesting a $375 billion, six-year program to reauthorize Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century — substantially more than the $250 billion program proposed by the Bush Administration, Quinn said. House leaders are reluctant to commit to the higher figure without a funding source.

Quinn also believes Amtrak eventually will receive an appropriation between the $900 million proposed by the House and $1.4 billion approved by the Senate, a figure high enough to keep the national passenger railroad operational for another year.