President Joe Biden is vowing the federal government will cover the entire cost of replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland after it collapsed when it was hit by a cargo ship.
On Tuesday, Biden said, “It is my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge. And I expect the Congress to support my effort.”
“This is going to take some time, the people of Baltimore can count on us though to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the port is rebuilt.”
Watch the video below:
BIDEN: “The federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing" the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore pic.twitter.com/AjPQe577Nd
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 26, 2024
Early Tuesday morning, a Singapore-flagged cargo ship, the Dali, was leaving Baltimore when it slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Video with a time stamp of just before 1:30 a.m. showed the Dali hitting the bridge, causing it to promptly collapse into the Patapsco River, sending cars into the water.
Another angle of cargo ship slamming into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge extends over the Patapsco River and serves as the outermost crossing of the Baltimore harbor. It is an essential link of Interstate-695, or the Baltimore Beltway. pic.twitter.com/CLH98KFT3N
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 26, 2024
NPR reports the bridge serves “as both an essential highway artery and a hub for shipping along the East Coast.”
According to CNN, the ship lost power before the crash and notified officials before it slammed into the bridge, and Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said the message likely saved lives.
“We’re thankful that between the mayday and the collapse, that we had officials who were able to begin to stop the flow of traffic so more cars were not on the bridge,” Moore told reporters.
As of Tuesday afternoon, six people were still accounted for after the collision.
A reporter asked Biden if the company that owns the ship should pay for the bridge.
He responded, “That could be.”
BIDEN: “The federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing" the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore pic.twitter.com/AjPQe577Nd
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 26, 2024
“We’re not going to wait for that to happen. We’re going to pay to get the bridge rebuilt and open,” he added.
