California Lawmakers Seek Federal Funds for High-Speed Rail

California lawmakers, including Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, are urgently seeking over $536 million in federal funding from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg for the state's high-speed rail project before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The funding aims to support design work for segments of the rail system that would connect major cities and potentially become the most traveled intercity passenger service in the U.S. The project has faced significant delays and cost overruns, with estimates now ranging from $89 to $128 billion, far exceeding initial projections. Trump previously criticized the project as a 'waste' and threatened to cut funding, which Congress had restored under Biden's administration. With Trump's administration likely to target high-cost projects, California Democrats are pushing to secure funding quickly to ensure the project's continuation. If approved, the federal grant would be supplemented by nearly $134 million from state Cap-and-Trade funds.