Long-stalled legislation to implement some recommendations of the independent Sept. 11 commission is expected to advance to a formal House-Senate conference this week.

The House Rules Committee was scheduled to meet later Monday to take up an amendment to Sept. 11 legislation (HR 1) that would merge the bill’s original provisions with a rail security section derived from a bill (HR 1401) the House passed March 27. The House would then have to appoint its conferees to negotiate a final version of the legislation.

The House first passed its bill Jan. 9, as part of the new Democratic majority’s priority agenda.

The Senate’s version of the Sept. 11 legislation (S 4), passed on March 13, contained a rail security section. The House wants to add its rail security bill to HR 1 to have a fully comparable measure for the conference with the Senate.

The Senate appointed its conferees last week. Aides say a formal conference likely will begin quickly, with an agreement expected as soon as the end of the week.