President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday announced that it will fully fund a $650 million federal grant for electrification of a San Francisco Bay Area train system, which will also help the state’s high-speed rail project.
The federal government previously delayed a decision when congressional republicans objected the project. But the Federal Transit Administration said in a statement that the Caltrain project had "met all of the statutory requirements" for the funding.
The members of California’s GOP delegation had asked President Donald Trump’s administration to block approval of the grant to electrify a major commuter line between San Jose and San Francisco until an audit of the bullet train’s finances is completed.
They said providing additional funding to help the $64 billion high-speed rail project would be an irresponsible use of taxpayer dollars.
The bullet train will require electrified rails and the high-speed rail’s business plan calls for the two systems to share lines along the Peninsula Corridor in the region.
The announcement includes $100 million that has already been allocated for Caltrain, this fiscal year and additional $547 million over the next five years.
Senator Dianne Feinstein, who is a California Democrat said, "This is exactly the type of infrastructure investment our country needs."
The project officials said that the $2 billion project will create about 10,00 jobs, including 500 in Utah where a manufacturer is set to open a facility to build more rail cars.
Governor Jerry Brown, who is a Democrat said that the project will expand its service on a congested corridor improve air quality and out thousands of people to work.
In a statement Brown said: "Secretary Chao did the right thing on Caltrain. This is not only good for California, it's good for America."
Congressional Republicans who pushed for the funding delay did not immediately issue statements on the funding.
President Trump has spoken favorably of high-speed rail and lamented that the U.S. is behind many other countries that have bullet trains.
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