Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on Sunday that additional federal funding will be assigned to remove and reconstruct the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. He also mentioned that Congress may need to approve such relief.
The Department of Transportation dispensed $60 million in emergency funding last week, shortly after the bridge was struck by a cargo ship and crumbled in Patapsco River.
Asked on CBS News’s “Face The Nation” about the funding source, Buttigieg explained, “We’re utilizing an authority called the emergency relief. This is through our Federal Highway Administration. That’s how we got those initial $60 million out and more will be available.”
To obtain additional funding, Buttigieg expressed his hope for bipartisan support from Congress if the government seeks their assistance.
“It is possible that we may need to turn to Congress to supplement that fund,” he stated, later adding, “And I anticipate and hope that this will also be a bipartisan priority. It is not only the right thing to do for the people of Baltimore but also crucial for our entire supply system to ensure that the port and bridge are functioning as intended.”
Addressing potential skepticism among lawmakers, Buttigieg commented, “your district could be next.”
“And historically, this has been bipartisan, and I’m not only referring to past times. Remember, the infrastructure package itself President Biden’s infrastructure plan went through on a bipartisan basis,” he stated. “Many people doubted the possibility when we arrived in 2021. However, the President remained committed to the idea. Ultimately, numerous Republicans were willing to collaborate with President Biden and the Democrats to accomplish this.”
“If there’s anything in this country that is more bipartisan than infrastructure, it should be emergency response. This is both and I hope that Congress will be willing if and when we approach them,” he stated.
A cargo ship, named Dali, was heading for Sri Lanka overnight last Tuesday when it crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to crumble into the water. Officials said the 984-foot Singapore-flagged ship lost power when attempting to leave the Baltimore Harbor.
Crews on Saturday began removing the first piece of wreckage from the Baltimore bridge in what Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) characterized as a “remarkably complex operation.”
Moore stated that removing steel from the bridge will ideally allow a temporary restricted channel to open and enable more vessels to reach the area around the collapsed site.
Questioned about the duration needed to remove the ship and reopen the channel, Buttigieg mentioned, “We haven’t received a timeline yet. But what I can tell you is the work is now underway, and sections of the non-federal channel are already being worked on.”
The Port of Baltimore, which has been closed since the bridge’s collapse, is a major shipping hub on the East Coast.
“So it takes a lot to ensure that it can be dismantled safely, to ensure that the vessel stays where it is supposed to be and doesn’t swing out into the channel. But it has to be done. Because that is the only way to get into most of the Port of Baltimore,” he added. “And of course, it’s important not just to the people in the workers of Baltimore, but to our national supply chains to get that port back up and running as quickly as possible.”
Buttigieg last week stated worries about the local economic impact of the port closure, mentioning that 8,000 jobs are directly related to its operations, and over $100 million in goods pass through the port every day.
He mentioned on Sunday that there are currently no estimates for how long it will take to rebuild the bridge.
The search for the four remaining missing construction workers was stopped last week because the water conditions were unsafe for divers. Moore said on Saturday said that divers will resume the search when it's safe to do so.
