Republican Floats New Bill to Swap High-Speed Rail Funds for Wildfire Aid [Video]

A Republican California state lawmaker has proposed diverting billions of dollars intended for high-speed rail to pay for water infrastructure and wildfire prevention efforts.

Newsweek reached out for comment to the office of Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom via email and the California High-Speed Rail Authority via online press contact form on Wednesday night.

Why It Matters

California’s high-speed rail system, which aims to eventually link Northern and Southern California at speeds that could rival air travel, has faced a series of delays and setbacks amid a ballooning budget and political battles over funding.

The recent devastating wildfires in Southern California quickly triggered raging political discord over the cause of the crisis, with President Donald Trump and many of his Republican allies blaming Newsom and other California Democrats.

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