WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden was expected to get a firsthand look Friday at efforts to clear away the hulking remains of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, as cranes, ships and diving crews work to reopen one of the nation’s main shipping lanes.
Biden was to receive updates from the U.S. Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers. Eight workers — all immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras or El Salvador — were filling potholes on the bridge when it was hit by a huge cargo ship and collapsed in the middle of the night of March 26. Two men were rescued, but the bodies of only two of the six who died have been recovered.
The president planned to meet with the families of the victims.
Officials have established a temporary, alternate channel for vessels involved in clearing debris. The Army Corps of Engineers hopes to open a limited-access channel for barge container ships and some vessels moving cars and farm equipment by the end of this month and to restore normal capacity to Baltimore’s port by May 31, the White House says.
That’s important since longer delays in reopening shipping lanes could send shockwaves through the economy. As much as $200 million in cargo normally moves through Baltimore’s port per day, and it is the leading hub for importing and exporting vehicles.
Of more immediate concern might be covering the costs of cleanup and building a new bridge.
The Federal Highway Administration has provided $60 million in “quick release” emergency relief funds to get started. Exactly how much the collapse will cost is unclear, though some experts estimate recovery will take at least $400 million and 18 months.
Biden said within hours of the collapse that “the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge, and I expect the Congress to support my effort.”
Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Dan Meuser called the promise “outrageous.”
“The first reaction, in fact the only reaction, tends to be to spend.”
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was more amenable to Biden’s call, likening the bridge collapse to assistance that flows after natural disasters and saying ”the federal government will step up and do the lion’s share” of funding.
But authorization is likely no slam-dunk in Congress.
The White House announced Friday it is asking Congress to authorize the federal government to cover 100% of the collapsed bridge cleanup and reconstruction costs, rather than seeking funding through a separate, emergency supplemental funding request.
A lot has changed in 17 years, however, and a call for bipartisan funding could be a tougher sell today.
The conservative House Freedom Caucus issued a Friday statement saying, “If it proves necessary to appropriate taxpayer money to get one of America’s busiest ports back online, Congress should ensure it is fully offset and that burdensome regulations” are waived. It was referring to potential federal spending cuts elsewhere and to regulations like the Endangered Species Act.
