Pelosi Praises High Speed Rail Funding

California Representative Nancy Pelosi is praising Democrats in the state legislature today for putting money toward high speed rail. 

Pelosi was in Sacramento for the opening of the new California Democratic Party Headquarters. She says the federal government has the money to fund high speed rail and now that California is also committing money, a lot of uncertainty about the project has been erased. The state legislature allocated $250 million to the bullet train in this year’s budget. In future years 25 percent of Cap and Trade revenues will go toward the train.

Pelosi dismissed Republican opposition to high speed rail.

“We’ll fight it. We expect we’ll have the funding for high speed rail. We’re very pleased with the California budget and the assured stream of revenue.”

But the project has a high-profile opponent in the House. Bakersfield Congressman Kevin McCarthy will likely be elected majority leader this week. He’s said he’ll do whatever he can to keep federal money from going to high speed rail.