Statement from CA. Senator Dave Cortese, Senate Transportation Committee Chair On Trump Administration’s Move to Redistribute $2.4 Billion in Federal Funds From California High-Speed Rail Funds

SACRAMENTO — Senator Dave Cortese, the California Senate Transportation Chair, issued the following statement today in response to the Trump Administration’s announcement that it plans to redirect $2.4 billion in federal funds away from California’s High-Speed Rail project:

“Shifting billions away from America’s largest infrastructure project into short-term giveaways is political pandering, and not a credible plan to address the very real transportation challenges our country faces, including our nation’s infrastructure crisis.

The federal administration continues to mislead the public about this project. This is yet another example of Donald Trump and his allies in Congress trying to claw away California’s hard-earned tax dollars and handing them out elsewhere under the guise of ‘responsible spending.’

California already sends $81 billion more to Washington than it gets back. Meanwhile, the High-Speed Rail project has already created over 15,000 good-paying jobs, engaged 900 small businesses, and will prevent 142 million metric tons of carbon pollution. California’s recent budget agreement just secured $1 billion a year for the next 20 years to keep building the nation’s first true high-speed rail system, and we will not let Washington derail it.”