CHICAGO — White House budget director Russ Vought announced that the Trump administration plans to withhold $2.1 billion for Chicago infrastructure projects, continuing funding disputes aimed at Democratic regions amid the government shutdown.
This halt impacts a long-awaited project to extend the city’s Red Line train. Vought posted on social media Friday that the funds were “put on hold to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting.”
He made a similar declaration earlier this week regarding New York, where he said $18 billion for infrastructure would be halted, including funds for a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River.
In New York’s situation, Trump’s Transportation Department stated it had been verifying any “unconstitutional practices” in the significant infrastructure projects but that the government shutdown, which commenced Wednesday, compelled it to furlough the staffers conducting this review.
The freezing of funds is seemingly intended to target Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York, whom the White House attributes for the deadlock. He mentioned the funding halt would negatively impact commuters.
“Blocking these projects is foolish and counterproductive as they generate tens of thousands of outstanding jobs and are crucial for a robust regional and national economy,” Schumer stated on X.
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