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On Friday, California Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) introduced legislation that would freeze federal funding for and authorize a review of California’s high-speed rail project so “more evidence can be gathered about its feasibility before additional taxpayer dollars are spent on it,” according to a press release.

“From the ever-changing cost and ridership estimates, to incomprehensive environmental reports, questions surrounding the viability of this project have been long-standing, and the California High-Speed Rail Authority’s recent delay of its business plan is just another example of why a spending freeze and independent review is needed,” McCarthy said in a prepared statement.

The bill calls for freezing federal dollars that have not yet been obligated, or have been obligated but not yet spent, until Sept. 30, 2012. A total of $3.6 billion in federal funds have been set aside for the project. To date, $2.9 billion has been obligated (although some of that money has not yet been expended) and $715 million remains unobligated, according to McCarthy.

The legislation also would commission a Government Accountability Office study to assess the project’s feasibility. The study would assess ridership projections, costs to taxpayers and potential future government subsidies to make the project viable, necessary ticket prices and ridership levels to make the project self-sustaining, cost of making a trip on the high-speed rail system compared with other modes of transportation, potential adverse economic impacts resulting from eminent domain and California’s project cost compared with other HSR projects.