Congressional lawmakers consider federal aid as Maryland bridge disaster unfolds

Congressional leaders are weighing one of the best ways to aid in restoration efforts in Maryland following Tuesday’s nautical disaster.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge alongside I-695 in Maryland collapsed into the Baltimore harbor following a “ship strike” early Tuesday morning. 

Top lawmakers are preserving abreast of the mass casualty occasion and stay open to offering any aid wanted by native officers, Fox has realized. 

“We are quickly working to address this situation,” stated Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md).

BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSES INTO HARBOR AFTER SHIP STRIKE, CAUSING MASS CASUALTY EVENT

Aerial daytime photographs of the metal from of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on prime of the cargo ship in Baltimore, Maryland. (Fox News)

“The federal delegation stands ready to support,” indicated Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD).

There is a precedent for Congress to step in and aid the restoration efforts in Baltimore, having beforehand accomplished so for comparable disasters.

Congress accepted 1 / 4 of a billion {dollars} on an emergency foundation to cowl the I-35W bridge collapse over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2007.

BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE: RAVENS ‘GRATEFUL’ FOR FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE AMID ‘SHOCKING’ INCIDENT

The Francis Scott Key Bridge, a serious span over the Patapsco River in Baltimore, collapsed after it was struck by a big cargo ship early Tuesday morning. (Jasper Colt-USA Today)

Only a number of days later, the White House declared a state of emergency within the state. That allowed Minnesota to get better prices from the federal authorities and start to take away particles from the scene.

The late Rep. Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) was chairman of the House Transportation on the Committee on the time. Although the bridge was not in Oberstar’s district, he was in a position to muscle by means of an emergency appropriation of $250 million to the state division of transportation to start rebuilding the bridge.

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The collision prompted a large emergency response for a number of folks within the water. The Baltimore City Fire Department described the collapse as a mass-casualty incident. (Jasper Colt-USA Today)

Considering the quantity of commerce which funnels by means of the Port of Baltimore – to say nothing of site visitors and commerce which strikes throughout the Francis Scott Key Bridge as a serious east coast artery – it’s attainable Congress may very well be known as upon to supply funding to rebuild the bridge in file time. 

“Of course it will affect trade. I’m worried about the families and all of the inconvenience that will occur because the bridge is gone. It was such a good link,” stated Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.V.).