WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is planning to follow-up tonight's State of the Union address by awarding billions of dollars to develop a high-speed rail plan that he'll promote as a jobs program.
The $8 billion in stimulus funds would go toward grants for 13 major corridors. The announcement would be an attempt by the White House to show that the president wants to get Americans back to work and has a plan to do it.
He and Vice President Joe Biden will make the announcement during a town hall meeting tomorrow in Tampa, Fla. That locale means there's a good chance that Florida's proposal for a high-speed line connecting Orlando and Tampa is about to get some money.
California's proposal for an 800-mile-long rail line from Sacramento to San Diego is also a strong contender, as is a nine-state proposal in the Midwest.
A White House official says the projects are expected to create or save tens of thousands of jobs.
The grants would be part of the $787 billion recovery act. Several smaller awards will go toward improvements for existing rail lines. Overall, 31 states will receive funds.
Barack Obama, White House Press Release - President to Announce High-Speed Rail Plan Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/351557