Senator Dave Cortese Responds to Court Ruling Restoring $4 Billion in Federal Grants for CA High-Speed Rail Project

SAN JOSE, CA – California State Senator Dave Cortese, Chair of the CA Senate Transportation Committee, issued the following statement in response to U.S. District Judge Dale Drozd’s decision to reject the Federal Administration’s attempt to block California’s High-Speed Rail Grant Funding:  

“This is an important victory for our state, for the Central Valley, and for the future of American infrastructure. This ruling reaffirms what Californians have long understood: investing in modern, efficient, and sustainable transportation is essential to our economic vitality and environmental resilience.

California’s High-Speed Rail project is more than a transportation system — it is a generational investment that will reshape the economic landscape of the Central Valley. With every mile of track we build, we unlock new opportunities for housing, commerce, and innovation. Communities along the corridor stand to benefit from thousands of good-paying union jobs, expanded local business activity, and long-term economic growth that will ripple across the state.

The Central Valley has always been a cornerstone of California’s economy, and high-speed rail has the potential to strengthen that role even further. By improving mobility and connecting workers to jobs, students to schools, and families to opportunity, we are building an economic engine that will elevate the region for decades to come.

Today’s court ruling makes clear that California has the right and the responsibility to continue building the future we envision — a cleaner, faster, and more connected California for all.” 

Senator Dave Cortese represents Senate District 15, which encompasses San Jose and much of Santa Clara County in the heart of Silicon Valley. Visit Senator Cortese’s website: https://sd15.senate.ca.gov

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