California GOP Congressional Reps Push for Cancelled $4 Billion HSR Funds Diverted to Infrastructure Projects

A group of nine Californian GOP Congressional members, led by Congressman Vince Fong (R-CA) wrote a letter earlier this week to Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy urging the Department of Transportation (DOT) to reroute the $4 billion originally assigned to fund California High-Speed Rail to instead fund critical infrastructure projects in the state that had been halted or delayed by the rail project.

In their letter, Fong, joined by Congressmembers Darrell Issa, Ken Calvert, Tom McClintock, David Valadao, Doug LaMalfa, Young Kim, Jay Obernolte, and Kevin Kiley (all R-CA), agree that c. They also applauded the recent termination of $4 billion in federal funding to the program. However, rather than let the funding lapse, the lawmakers requested that Duffy and the DOT instead redirect that money back into infrastructure projects across California that were previously sidelined in favor of High Speed Rail.

“Following the termination of these Cooperative Agreements last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation recovered $4 billion in needed infrastructure funds,” said the Congressional members in the letter. “We respectfully request that these funds be redirected to critical infrastructure projects in California that have been sidelined in favor of the failed High Speed Rail project. With the Administration’s leadership, we believe we can move past costly pipe dreams and focus on real, achievable infrastructure solutions that truly serve the needs of our communities, including advancing California’s most essential roadway enhancements.

“As the Department works to reprioritize this funding, we recommend this $4 billion be used to expand State Route 99, Interstate 15, Interstate 5, Interstate 395, Interstate 80, State Route 65, support repairs on roadways designated as farm-to-market roads, shift State Route 152 and modify a bridge on Interstate 5 to accommodate for needed reservoir capacity improvements, and improve a bypass on State Route 70, all of which are important projects that both require and merit federal investment. Additionally, repairing roads damaged by the Los Angeles wildfires and funding transportation projects that are essential for accommodating the 2028 Olympics are much more practical uses of federal dollars rather than the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s plan to unnecessarily connect Bakersfield to a field outside of Merced. These alternative projects would bolster our water infrastructure, boost our supply chain, and reduce congestion on some of the state’s most important transportation arteries. Ensuring the connectivity of California’s vast economy will provide a much greater return on investment rather than a high-speed train to nowhere.

“With your support and direction, we hope to redirect valuable, federal resources away from California’s failed High-Speed Rail project and back into roadways that serve as the backbone of our supply chain infrastructure. Not only would these types of targeted investments protect California taxpayers and reinforce the values of fiscal responsibility and accountability, they would also create meaningful enhancements to our crumbling roadways, improving safety and economic viability.”

Funding refocus

“It’s been over 10 years since the California High-Speed Rail Authority began construction, and after wasting billions of taxpayer dollars, missing numerous deadlines, and forcing the Central Valley to suffer due to neglect, they have zero miles of operational track to show for it,” added Congressman Valadao later on. “This project has been overfunded and grossly mismanaged from the start, and it’s past time we refocus our efforts and resources on infrastructure projects our region needs.”

In addition, many state lawmakers backed the Congressional members this week, echoing the fact that infrastructure funds are needed in California.

“If this is money that’s going to be hard in transportation dollars, then let’s finish the 99,” noted Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo (R-Tulare). “Let’s continue to make sure our roads are safe to travel on.”

While the lawmakers push for a change in funding, they will likely have to wait on the courts, as the state is currently suing the Trump Administration over the cuts. As the$10.2 billion deficit CHSR needs to plug by June 2026 is now officially $14.2 billion with the cuts, and lawmakers like Governor Gavin Newsom see this as a legacy project, the state is fighting tooth and nail to keep that federal funding and hope to keep “promised” money coming in through 2028, when a potential Democratic President can push forward more funding for the program. (It should be noted that high-speed rail supporters Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg are all currently in the top three in 2028 Democratic Presidential candidate polling.)

“Trump’s termination of federal grants for California high-speed rail reeks of politics. It’s yet another political stunt to punish California,” Newsom said last week in response to the cuts. “In reality, this is just a heartless attack on the Central Valley that will put real jobs and livelihoods on the line. We’re suing to stop Trump from derailing America’s only high-speed rail actively under construction.”

The matter is currently in U.S. District Court. As of Friday, Duffy has yet to respond to the letter or give an early promise to move the $4 billion to California infrastructure. The only follow up by Duffy and the DOT so far to the funding removal has been to reiterate that they don’t see a pathway forward for California High Speed Rail. However, a more formal response is likely soon, especially if the matter is fast tracked through the District Court.