California’s House Republicans have asked the Trump administration to block a pending federal grant for the state’s high speed rail project until an audit of the project’s finances is completed. President Trump has charged that California is “out of control,” but he has also vowed to massively increase the nation’s infrastructure spending. Trump’s and Chao’s view on the bullet train, the nation’s largest infrastructure project, is largely unknown. The unified position against further federal funding by the state’s own Republican representatives will be an early and severe test of the new administration’s direction. The grant is a key part of the $2 billion electrification funding, which also relies on about $730 million in funding from the California High Speed Rail Authority.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 06, 2017 21:57 UTC