Congress hasn’t approved 100% funding of Key Bridge replacement: ‘There is an urgency’

[Dead2009]

https://thebaltimorepost.com/2024/06/05/baltimore-sun-congress-hasnt-approved-100-funding-of-key-bridge-replacement-there-is-an-urgency/

Lost commerce and delays going through Baltimore’s harbor tunnels lend “an urgency” to Congress approving legislation — introduced nearly two months ago — to ensure the federal government pays the full cost of replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge, U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin told the federal highway administrator Wednesday.

“We’re on Day 72” since a container ship struck and knocked down the bridge, killing six construction workers and choking commerce to the Port of Baltimore by blocking the shipping channel, Cardin, a Democrat, said during a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

“It took only a matter of days when a Minnesota bridge was destroyed for Congress to act and make it clear that they will be there with 100% federal funds,” Cardin reminded Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt, the lone witness during the two-hour budget hearing.

Bhatt replied: “I would say that, yes, the president has been very clear that he wants 100% funding for the bridge.”

President Joe Biden, a Democrat, has visited the bridge site and pledged multiple times that the federal government would pay the full cost of replacement. But Congress has yet to approve the 100% requirement.

Minnesota was entirely reimbursed with federal funds for rebuilding its Interstate 35W bridge in less than 14 months after its 2007 collapse that killed 13 people.

 

[Webster]

The political world is a lot different today than it was back then; the only way I could see Republicans agreeing to funding of this nature would be to demand equal cuts in other parts of the federal budget (and no, defense spending doesn't count). Plus, given Maryland is a blue state, Republicans might be of a mind to think "why the should we help Democrats?"

 

[Dead2009]

They would help Democrats because we're a major port? Brings in cars, and everything else.

 

[Webster]

They would help Democrats because we're a major port? Brings in cars, and everything else.

They won't help because it would also help Democrats, that's how narcissistically-thinking Republicans are in the Age of Trump.

 

[freakofnature]

It's difficult to find politicians (and really, people in general) who do things for the greater good. It's mostly a "what's in it for me?" mentality these days.