Overview
- U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas issued a temporary restraining order Friday directing the government to reinstate funding for the $16 billion Hudson/Gateway tunnel after New York and New Jersey sued.
- The administration filed an appeal Sunday and on Monday sought an emergency stay, arguing it could be forced to pay up to $200 million that might not be recoverable if it prevails.
- Construction largely remains halted and roughly 1,000 workers are off the job, with project officials saying they will remobilize once federal payments actually resume.
- USDOT says the freeze stemmed from a review of contracting practices under new prohibitions on race- and sex-based considerations, a rationale the Gateway Development Commission says it has addressed.
- Reports say Trump linked releasing funds to renaming Penn Station and Dulles Airport after him, a claim Schumer rejects as false and Democratic leaders publicly criticize, as related litigation and contract disputes continue.