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US holds $18 billion in funding for New York's Hudson Tunnel and Second Ave Subway

White House Budget Chief said Wednesday that the federal government withholds $18 billion from the Hudson Tunnel Reconstruction Project and Second Avenue Subway - two of New York City’s largest construction projects.

The hold was announced just hours after the partial shutdown of the government began. It is the latest attempt to put pressure on Democrats in Congress regarding the shutdown.

Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic Leader from New York State has been an avid supporter of both projects. He is also leading Democratic opposition against President Donald Trump’s plan to continue funding by government.

Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said on X that approximately $18 billion of New York City infrastructure has been put on hold in order to prevent funding from flowing based upon unconstitutional DEI Principles.

The U.S Transportation Department announced that it would delay the reimbursement of $300 million for the subway project until an administrative review was completed. It added that the process will take longer because the staff who conduct the review were furloughed during the shutdown.

USDOT, in its statement, blamed Schumer as well as House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffreys of New York on the shutdown.

The $17.2 billion Hudson River Tunnel Project -- which has received over $11 billion in grants from the federal government -- will repair an existing tunnel and build a new tunnel for Amtrak passenger trains and state commuter routes between New Jersey to Manhattan.

If the Hudson Tunnel fails, it would impede commuters in the metropolis that accounts for 10% of the nation's economic output.

The Biden administration has awarded $3.4 billion to the Second Avenue Subway Project, which will extend the line and provide better transit service in Harlem.

USDOT has sent New York letters about the status of the review to determine if it is engaging in discriminatory practices.

Amtrak and New York Governor Kathy Hochul did not comment immediately. Trump, an ex-New York City developer, refused.

Approve funding for projects in his first

USDOT has also threatened New York Transit funding repeatedly.

In August, the Department said that it could withhold 25 percent of federal funding from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York State if they do not improve the safety for workers who maintain subway tracks.

The Trump administration also wants to destroy Manhattan's

Early this year, the congestion pricing program was introduced to reduce traffic and raise billions of dollars for mass transit.

The Trump administration also threatened to cut off funding for the MTA over crimes committed in subways. Reporting by Doina Chiacu, David Shepardson and Chris Sanders; editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Chris Sanders and Chizu Nomiyama

(source: Reuters)