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.
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