Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Wednesday that the Transportation Department is withholding roughly $18 billion in funds for two New York City infrastructure projects, citing the partial government shutdown and “race- and sex-based contracting” requirements.

The announcement comes hours after the Senate rejected legislation to keep the government open, triggering a partial shutdown beginning Wednesday morning. He singled out the Hudson River Tunnel project and the Second Avenue Subway.

Republicans blame Democrats, especially Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both from New York, for opposing a “clean” stopgap funding bill that would fund the government for seven weeks.

The Senate voted Tuesday to reject the bill passed by the Ho

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