Wednesday

I. REGISTRATION - 7:45 to 8:30 a.m.

II. WELCOME - Mark Morial, Mayor New Orleans (8:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m.)

III. REMARKS - Kirk Fordice, Governor, Mississippi (8:45 to 9:15 a.m.)

• Mississippi Transportation in the 21^st Century
• Importance of High Speed Rail

IV. INTRODUCTION - Rodney E. Slater, Secretary, U.S. Department of

• TEA-21 Program Initiatives
• Opportunities for the Gulf Coast

V. CONFERENCE OVERVIEW - Jolene M. Molitoris, Administrator (9:45 to >10:15 a.m.)

• Welcome to Briefing and Conference Overview
• Highlights for HSGT
• TEA 21 Opportunities and Challenges

VI. Break - 15 minutes

VII. OVERVIEW OF REAUTHORIZATION - Congressional Staff Panel - Moderated by Bill Nevel, HSGTA (10:30 to 11:00 a.m.)

• Overview of Reauthorization
• New Program Initiatives for the Department
• Amtrak Report - Ray Lang, Amtrak Intercity

VIII. TEA-21 BUDGETING FOR HIGH SPEED RAIL - Jack Basso - Acting Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs (11:00 to 11:30 a.m.)

• Funding TEA-21 provisions
  • The new "firewalls"
  • FY 1999 Update
• TIFIA/Innovative Finance Provisions
• One DOT Initiatives

IX. TEA-21 INTERMODAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR RAIL - Donald Itzkoff, Deputy Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration (11:30 to 12:15 p.m.)

• ISTEA Continuing Programs
• Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program
• Other Rail-Related Initiatives
• Questions and Answers

X. LUNCH - Cong. William Jefferson, Louisiana; Willard Keeney, Morrison Knudsen; Chair, Robert Dietz, High Speed Ground Transportation Association (12:15 to 1:30 p.m.)

• Legislative View on Reauthorization
• Multi-Modal Needs of the Region
• Corridor use of funds - Update on Study
• Future needs

XI. STATE DOT PANEL - State Staff Panel - Moderated by John Cikota, FRA (1:30 to 2:15 p.m.)

• Corridor Planning Activities
• Funding Strategy
• Legislative Authority/Needs
• Discussion

XII. Break - 15 Minutes

>XIII. >MAGNETIC LEVITATION DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM - Arrigo Mongini, Deputy Associate Administrator for Railroad Development (2:30 to 3:00 p.m.)

• Program Overview
• Draft Announcement
• Project Eligibility, Selection and Funding
• Timetable
• Questions and Answers

XIV. NEXT GENERATION HIGH SPEED RAIL UPDATE AND SAFETY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT - Bob McCown FRA (2:30 to 3:00 p.m.)

• Next Generation Products
• R&D Initiatives

XV. SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION - James McQueen, Associate Administrator for Railroad Development (3:00 to 3:30 p.m.)

• Passenger and Freight Programs
• Congressional Earmarks and Other Rail Related Initiatives
• Questions and Answers