Republican lawmakers are celebrating a decision by Senate lawmakers to halt a $ 100 million extension of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system outside San Francisco with the coronavirus aid package.
GOP legislators are also pushing for the removal of $ 1.5 million for the Seaway International Bridge, which connects New York with Ontario, and which was historically one of the busiest border crossing points between New York and Canada.
Republicans Characterized Spending Expenditure Items as Pet Projects for Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiBiden coronavirus relief bill tests Democratic majority Some Republicans believe proxy vote benefits Democrats (D-California) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerA Biden stumbling over China? First Black Secretary of the Senate sworn in by the Republican Senate candidate in Ohio, appeals to the GOP representative to resign more over accusation. (DN.Y.), which they describe as the best examples of wasteful wish list priorities in the $ 1.9 billion package.
“We have seen the swamp return to Washington: $ 100 million for a tunnel in Silicon Valley just outside Speaker Pelosi District or a bridge for Schumer,” House Minority Leader said. Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy: Some Republicans say proxy vote benefits Democrats Wray says no evidence of ‘antifa’ involvement on Jan. 6 Republican attacks attacking GOP lawmakers because they had to vote more through CPAC. (R-California) said last week.
However, a Senate source said Schumer did not know that funding for the bridge was even included in the bill until he read it in the media.
Sen. Chuck Grassley
FBI Director Chuck Grassley is frustrated by lawmakers over the Capitol’s violation of the fact that Padilla ‘must fulfill great Chuck Taylors’ in place of Harris’ judicial committee. (R-Iowa) saw the U.S. parliament’s ruling against the California Public Transportation Project as a precious victory.
“The member of parliament rules against the earmarking of the Pelosi tunnel. It’s a small victory, but there’s much more $$ unrelated to the bill, but as a matter of common sense, the Silicon Valley tunnel must be out of the country. !! Grassley tweeted.
Parliamentarians rule against the earmarking of the Pelosi tunnel. It’s a small victory, but there’s much more $$ unrelated to the bill, but as a matter of common sense, the Silicon Valley tunnel must be out of the country. !
– ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) March 3, 2021
Senate Republican whip John Thune
John Randolph Thune’s GOP whip: Murkowski’s vote on Teeth is ‘fluid’ at the moment GOP says Ron Klain pulls Biden strings Rick Scott admits Biden ‘absolutely’ won honest election (RS.D.) said the California project got Byrded out, citing the Senate Byrd rule, which could be curtailed by special budget rules that could be protected from a filibuster on the Senate floor.
Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill confirmed on Tuesday that both projects had been removed, arguing that Republicans now have little reason to oppose the popular aid package.
Hammill noted that the pandemic “had an immediate and overwhelming effect on all of our transportation systems” and that the house included $ 1.425 billion “to help dozens of major transit rail capital projects.”
The senior Democratic assistant characterized the bridge money as a project that the Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik
Elise Marie StefanikCuomo asks New York AG to appoint an independent lawyer to investigate claims of sexual harassment. Psaki: Cuomo needs to get ‘independent review’ on allegations of sexual harassment. NY billboard calls for accusation of Cuomo amid controversy.se (NY) home district.
‘The Senate MP has now ruled that the BART extension from San Jose to Santa Clara does not meet the requirements of the Byrd rule because it is part of a pilot project. That is why it will be removed from the reconciliation package, ”the assistant said.
“The $ 1.5 million funding for the Seaway International Bridge in Rep. Stefanik’s district has also been removed,” he added. “Now that the two projects on which the Republicans have misled the public in the House bill have been removed, it is unclear how the Republicans will justify their opposition to the U.S. bailout plan, which has strong bipartisan support among the public.”
A Senate source said Senate drafters of the aid bill dropped funding for the Seaway International Bridge originally requested by the Trump administration because Stefanik, a staunch Trump supporter, refused to plead for its inclusion in the legislation.
The loss of federal funding could affect the future operation of the bridge, which suffered a major loss of traffic and revenue during the pandemic due to the closure of the U.S.-Canada border. Revenue from tolls and tolls fell by $ 170,000 per month due to travel restrictions.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Stefanik, said her boss delivered for her district in other ways.
“During her last term in Congress, Representative Stefanik provided more than $ 75 million in federal funding for the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, including $ 6 million for the Seaway International Bridge she provided with the former DOT secretary. Elaine Chao
Elaine Chao The Hill’s Morning Report – Praying on COVID-19: Next Year, Americans Will ‘Better Do It’ Buttigieg Sets Targets for Electric, Automatic Trucks Ben Carson Leads Conservative Brainstorm MORE, “she said.
“Congressman Stefanik also continues to push hard for a safe reopening of the US-Canada border, which will consequently support the bridge,” she said.