The American Recovery and Reinvestment Rescission Act was introduced by House Republicans to return $12 billion in unspent American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds, aka stimulus funds, targeting the nation's largest public works project, CA HSR.
Mike Rosenberg at the San Jose Mercury News writes that GOP leaders have moved quickly to create a bill to recall the high-speed rail funding that has yet to be spent:
"The bill is sponsored by Congressman Jerry Lewis - Redlands, CA, ranking member of the powerful appropriations committee, to reduce the federal deficit, or so he states: "This represents a first down-payment in GOP efforts to eliminate wasteful government spending and reduce the deficit."
The rescission bill, if it passes the House, would have to also pass the U.S. Senate and the President's veto pen.
Contributor's note: While the HSRA has received almost $3 billion from the Fed. government, only the first allocation in Jan, 2010 was from ARRA. The Oct. 28 allocation of $715 million was a federal appropriation.
Thanks to The Roundup
FULL STORY: GOP House aims to take $2 billion back from California high-speed rail
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Montreal’s Gorilla Park Repurposes Defunct Railway Track
The park is part of a global movement to build public spaces that connect neighbors and work with local elements to serve as key parts of a city’s green infrastructure.
Massachusetts Gov. Makes Case for Road Funding Reforms
A package of proposed bills would change the state’s road funding formula to ensure more money flows to rural areas with limited resources.
Art in Action: USC Event Calls for an Urgent Green Energy Transition
The El Respiro / Respire event at USC uses a large-scale human geochoreography to demand an urgent and equitable transition to green energy, blending art, activism, and community engagement to amplify the message of climate justice.
Safe Parking Programs Help People Access Housing
The safety and stability offered by Safe Parking sites have helped 40 percent of unhoused San Diego residents who accessed these programs get into permanent housing.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA)
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research