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Decision Delayed On $650M Caltrain Grant After Push From GOP Congress

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The Federal Transit Administration is delaying a decision on whether to approve a $650 million federal grant for electrification of a San Francisco Bay Area train system that would also help California's high-speed rail project.

Congressional Republicans had pushed the administration to reject the application from Caltrain. The FTA faced a Friday deadline for a decision, but in a letter sent Friday the agency says it's deferring a decision so it can be considered as part of President Donald Trump's budget. No timeline is given.

Members of California's GOP delegation had asked the Transportation Department to block approval of the grant to electrify a Caltrain line between San Jose and San Francisco.

Caltrain had hoped to have funding approved by March to begin contract bidding.

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