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Republican Rep. Susan Molinari of Staten Island may be boosting her career by moving to television, but she also maybe dropping the ball on New York state's effort to win billions of dollars in federal transportation funding this year.
Ms. Molinari's position in the House leadership and as a subcommittee chair for the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee give her unique clout in fighting for New York's allocation in the massive six-year bill.
It will be a major battle. A group of Southern GOP leaders are pushing to give more to their states and cut New York's share by up to $400 million a year.
Money for the Staten Island Ferry's Whitehall Terminal, a Long Island Rail Road connector to Grand Central Terminal and a Pennsylvania Station rehabilitation, among other projects, is at stake as part of up to $1.4 billion a year that could flow to the state.
Aug. 1 wrap-up unlikely
But Ms. Molinari is leaving Congress on Aug. 1. And the odds of the committee wrapping up the huge Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, or ISTEA, by that date have dwindled in the weeks since she announced her decision.
"I want Susan there," says John Daly, who is heading up a special task force on the legislation for Gov. George Pataki....