Jul 25, 2025 Advocacy | Transportation
On July 22, Congress Member Vince Fong (D-Bakersfield) was joined by 8 other members of California’s Congressional Republican delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, urging that the $4 billion recently recovered from the California High-Speed Rail project be redirected to long-overdue highway improvements across the state.
The letter outlines key projects for the federal funding, including expansion and repairs to State Route 99, Interstates 5 and 395, State Routes 65 and 70, among others. Some key features highlighted in the letter are improvements requested near San Luis Reservoir and Shasta Lake Reservoir to allow for both facilities to be expanded, as well as the Marysville bypass.
In addition to Congress Member Fong, the letter was also signed by Representatives Ken Calvert (R-Riverside); Darryl Issa (R-Vista); Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin); Young Kim (R-La Habra), Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale); Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove); Jay Obernolte (R-Big Bear Lake); and David Valadao (R-Hanford). The letter is available here. For more information, contact RCRC Policy Advocate Eric Will.
The Honorable Sean Duffy U.S. Transportation Secretary Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590
Dear Secretary Duffy,
July 22, 2025
As you know, California’s High-Speed Rail has become one of the most glaring examples of government waste in our state’s history. With nothing to show for the billions of dollars in federal and state investment, this project continues to drain taxpayer coffers while other important infrastructure projects languish. Estimated to be over a decade behind schedule with even more delays on the horizon, the cost overruns are astronomical, ballooning to $128 billion – a 400% increase. The unfortunate truth is that the California High-Speed Rail project will never be viable.
That is why we applaud the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) termination of federal funding for the California High-Speed Rail Authority, as the project is in default of the terms of its federal grant awards. With the FRA’s compliance report highlighting the project’s continually missed deadlines, massive cost overruns, and wildly inflated ridership projections, we believe it is only right to terminate both the Technical Assistance and the FY10 Financial Assistance Cooperative Agreements.
Following the termination of these Cooperative Agreements last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation recovered $4 billion in needed infrastructure funds. We respectfully request that these funds be redirected to critical infrastructure projects in California that have been sidelined in favor of the failed High Speed Rail project. With the Administration’s leadership, we believe we can move past costly pipe dreams and focus on real, achievable infrastructure solutions that truly serve the needs of our communities, such as advancing California’s most essential roadway enhancements.
As the Department works to reprioritize this funding, we recommend this $4 billion be used to expand State Route 99, Interstate 15, Interstate 5, Interstate 395, Interstate 80, State Route 65, support repairs on roadways designated as farm-to-market roads, shift State Route 152 and modify a bridge on Interstate 5 to accommodate for needed reservoir capacity improvements, and improve a bypass on State Route 70, all of which are important projects that both require and merit federal investment. Additionally, repairing roads damaged by the Los Angeles wildfires
and funding transportation projects that are essential for accommodating the 2028 Olympics are much more practical uses of federal dollars rather than the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s plan to unnecessarily connect Bakersfield to a field outside of Merced. These alternative projects would bolster our water infrastructure, boost our supply chain, and reduce congestion on some of the state’s most important transportation arteries. Ensuring the connectivity of California’s vast economy will provide a much greater return on investment rather than a high-speed train to nowhere.
With your support and direction, we hope to redirect valuable, federal resources away from California’s failed High-Speed Rail project and back into roadways that serve as the backbone of our supply chain infrastructure. Not only would these types of targeted investments protect California taxpayers and reinforce the values of fiscal responsibility and accountability, they would also create meaningful enhancements to our crumbling roadways, improving safety and economic viability.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We appreciate your consideration of our proposal and stand ready to assist you as you continue your efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the Federal government.
Sincerely,
Vince Fong
Member of Congress
Darrell Issa
Member of Congress
David G. Valadao Member of Congress
Ken Calvert Member of Congress
Tom McClintock Member of Congress
Doug LaMalfa Member of Congress
Young Kim Jay Obernolte Member of Congress Member of Congress
Kevin Kiley Member of Congress
