Rep. Dan Meuser slammed President Biden for promising the federal government would fund the replacement of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge that collapsed.
“It was kind of outrageous immediately for Biden to express in this tragedy the idea that he’s going to use federal funds to pay for the entirety,” Mr. Meuser, Pennsylvania Republican, said Thursday on Fox Business.
Mr. Biden instructed his team to “move heaven and earth” to help with the emergency response and rebuilding of the bridge. A cargo ship crashed into the bridge Tuesday, knocking down the entire bridge down into the water.
“It is my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge,” he said Tuesday. “I expect Congress to support my effort — this is going to take some time.”
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that it’s still unknown how much the replacement will cost.
“We don’t have dollar estimates yet, but we have provisions that allow us to begin releasing funding even while that is being determined,” Mr. Buttigieg told reporters Wednesday.
Mr. Meuser said the Biden administration should look at what “responsibility” Singapore will have to help cover the cost since the container ship MV Dali was registered there. He also suggested looking into the ship’s insurance.
“We just can’t take the easy route all the time and just try to spend the taxpayers money,” he said.
Mr. Buttigieg said that any private company found liable for the collapse would be held accountable, but what penalties they could face are unknown.
“I think our emphasis and the president’s goal is to make sure that that process is not something we have to wait for in order to support Maryland with the funds that they need,” he said.
Six people who were working on the bridge are believed to have been killed in the disaster, including four people who remain missing.
Two bodies were recovered Wednesday and two people were rescued from the water shortly after the bridge collapsed Tuesday.