Shutdown Day 17: White House withholds more funds for NY
A person runs on the East Front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Friday. Credit: AP/Rahmat Gul
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s top budget director on Friday announced $11 billion in infrastructure projects, including some in New York, would be paused as the federal government shutdown stretched past 17 days.
In a social media post, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers “will be immediately pausing over $11 billion in lower-priority projects & considering them for cancellation, including projects in New York, San Francisco, Boston, and Baltimore.”
The Army Corps of Engineers and White House did not immediately respond to emails seeking a list of impacted New York projects, and as of Friday evening the agency had not publicized which projects would be paused.
On Long Island, the corps is currently working on some dozen projects along Suffolk and Nassau waterways and shorelines, according to the agency’s website.
But Long Island Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport) and Nick LaLota (R-Amityville) told Newsday they received confirmation from the White House that none of the projects in their districts are impacted. Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) did not immediately have information about whether projects in their districts were impacted.
Gov. Kathy Hochul, who has already suggested the state will sue the Trump Administration over its previously announced plans to stop funding for the Gateway Tunnel project and Second Avenue Subway extension, told Vought in a social media post: “Good luck with that, Russ. We'll be in touch.”
The U.S. Senate was in recess on Friday after a short-term spending bill to reopen the government failed to pass for a tenth time on Thursday. The Senate is expected to reconvene on Monday, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters Friday he had no plans to call House members back to Washington next week, unless Senate Democrats agree to pass the Republican-backed short-term spending bill.
The U.S. House has been in recess since Sept. 19.
Christmas lights for cancer patients ... WWII vet to play anthem at UBS ... Whats up on LI ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV
Christmas lights for cancer patients ... WWII vet to play anthem at UBS ... Whats up on LI ... Get the latest news and more great videos at NewsdayTV
