President Biden visited the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Friday and promised to use every effort to rebuild the structure.
“I'm here to assure you that your nation supports you. And I really mean it. Your nation supports you,” Biden said, talking with the wreckage of the collapsed bridge behind him.
“The damage is severe and we are still mourning,” he added, referring to the six individuals who died in the bridge collapse at the end of last month.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge, located on Interstate 695, collapsed into the water after it was struck by the cargo ship Dali last Tuesday, which was on its way to Sri Lanka., causing it to collapse.
The president stated that reopening the Baltimore Port is a top priority for his administration, as it is typically one of the busiest in the country and crucial for commerce along the East Coast. He mentioned that officials anticipate the full channel to be reopened by the end of May.
The White House announced on Thursday that top administration officials have reached out to major employers in the Baltimore area, including retail chains and distributors, encouraging them to retain workers in the aftermath of the bridge collapse.
Biden also urged Congress to do its part in addressing the aftermath of the bridge collapse, as Baltimore residents have concerns about accessing schools, hospitals, and offices.
“We are going to make every possible effort to rebuild this bridge as quickly as humanly feasible,” Biden said. “And we will do so using union labor and American steel.”
White House budget director Shalanda Young wrote to congressional leaders on Friday, urging them to approve a 100 percent federal cost share for the bridge's rebuilding, eliminating the need for the state to cover a portion of the project.
“This approval would be in line with past catastrophic bridge collapses, including in 2007, when Congress acted in a bipartisan manner within days of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minnesota,” Young wrote.
During his visit to Baltimore, Biden took an aerial tour of the collapsed bridge and received a briefing on response efforts from local, state, and federal officials.
Among those in attendance were leaders from the Maryland Department of Transportation, the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers. Other officials included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D), Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott (D), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.) and Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
The president was also scheduled to meet with the loved ones of the six people who died in the bridge collapse.
Moore, introducing Biden, praised the administration’s response to the bridge collapse, noting officials were in touch with him shortly after the incident occurred.
“I know our state’s largest city is being tested right now… The people of Maryland are grateful to have a full partner in this work like President Biden,” Moore said.
