Wis. Reps. want high-speed rail money

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) - Three Republican congressmen from Wisconsin have introduced a bill that would give states the option of returning federal funds that are earmarked for high-speed rail projects.

The bill introduced Tuesday would let states redirect the money to the U.S. Treasury toward reducing the national debt.

The legislation was introduced by Reps. Jim Sensenbrenner, Paul Ryan and Tom Petri. They say it would give states flexibility in prioritizing how tax dollars are spent.

Their bill could be relevant in Wisconsin, where Republican Gov.-elect Scott Walker has said he doesn't want the $810 million that has been allocated for Wisconsin's high-speed rail project.

The government says if the money isn't used for high-speed rail in Wisconsin it'll be used for high-speed rail in another state.