Denham & LaMalfa Pass Amendment to Defund California’s Flawed High Speed Rail Project

Oroville, CA - Representative Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) and Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA) tonight passed an amendment prohibiting any further federal funding of California's high speed rail proposal, which is opposed by most Californian voters. The measure specifically prohibits so-called "tapered matching", in which the state spends federal funds without concurrently providing the required state matching funds.

"Despite hundreds of millions spent on consultants and PR firms, despite a just-for-show groundbreaking, despite years of broken deadlines, California's high speed rail project is no closer to being built than it was seven years ago. In fact, considering that it's tripled in cost, lacks a credible funding plan, and is opposed by most California voters, it's farther from completion than it's ever been," said LaMalfa. "This is a project that Californians don't want, don't need, and can't afford. It's time to put the brakes on this train to nowhere and direct taxpayer dollars to projects that actually benefit California and the nation."

The amendment was adopted by voice vote and included in H.R. 2577, the 2016 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill.

Congressman Doug LaMalfa is a lifelong farmer representing California's First Congressional District, including Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou and Tehama Counties.

###