Federal Government Freezes $2.1 Billion for Windy City Infrastructure Plans
A national halt on billions earmarked for Chicago's transportation plans was announced on Friday, as stated by Budget Director the budget director.
Targeted Plans
Included in the initiatives affected by the budget pause include the Red Line extension, which was scheduled to begin construction in the coming year and improve public transport to less served communities in the city.
Moreover, improvement work on a variety of public transport routes were also paused.
Explanation for the Pause
The official wrote on X that the money was “frozen to ensure funding is not flowing via race-based contracting.”
This announcement comes after a similar move earlier this week involving NYC, where the official said that millions for public works would be halted, including money for a proposed rail tunnel under the Hudson River.
National Shutdown Context
The action occurs as the US government shutdown continues into its third consecutive day, with the US Senate scheduled to take a vote later in the day.
Despite the anticipated vote in the Senate, there is minimal optimism that a resolution is close, as opposition lawmakers demand a number of health-focused agreements.
Additional Implications
At the same time, a growing number of government departments and personnel are explicitly accusing Democrats for the closure.
The partisan communication by departments may be a infraction of the government ethics law, which prohibits government workers from participating in partisan political activity.
Suspended federal employees at certain offices have been directed to set out-of-office messages explaining that they are not working because Democrats caused a closure.
“The radical left has chosen to shut down the United States government in the name of reckless spending and obstructionism,” the treasury department’s website states.
Additionally, advisories over economic impact seem not to be encouraging negotiation attempts.
A report by EY Parthenon estimated that every seven-day period the stoppage lasts will mean a $7 billion impact to the national economy.
