On Friday, President Joe Biden heads to Baltimore to visit the site of the deadly Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. six people are believed to be dead and does is expected to have a great impact on the port economy.
The White House said that Biden will make an aerial visit to the wreckage of the plane and “make statements affirming his commitment to the people of Baltimore.” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing Thursday that she will also receive an operational update on the response effort.
Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers leaders will share the status of their efforts to remove the wreckage and reopen the Port of Baltimore. The President will also meet the relatives of the bridge collapse victims The White House said.
Jean-Pierre said Biden will speak alongside Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and other Maryland and Baltimore officials.
“As the president said hours after the collapse, this administration will be with the people of Baltimore every step of the way,” he said. he saidreiterated his statement at a press briefing on Monday.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in the early morning hours of March 26 when a cargo ship crashed. collided with support column. leftovers two people those who were killed are believed to have recovered, and 4 others are believed to have died.
Working groups remove The debris opened two temporary channels to allow limited traffic to cross the bridge. They are also working on opening a third channel for larger ships.
Biden addressed the disaster during remarks hours after the collapse. saying The White House said it would send “all federal resources necessary” to rebuild the port. He also said he envisions the federal government covering the entire cost of rebuilding the bridge.
Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, sent a letter to congressional leaders Friday asking them to authorize “100 percent Federal cost share for the bridge reconstruction.”
“I want to say to the people of Baltimore: We are with you. We will stay with you as long as it takes. And as [Moore] he said, you’re tough in Maryland, you’re tough in Baltimore, and we’re going to get through this together,” Biden said he said during his speeches last week. “And I promise: we won’t leave.”
The National Economic Council also convened the administration’s Supply Chain Transition Task Force to coordinate federal efforts to support affected industries after the collapse, the White House said. announced last week.
“We are better equipped than we were a few years ago thanks to increased coordination across the supply chain and new efforts to strengthen both our physical and digital infrastructure.” he said Buttigieg said in a statement last week.
Last week, the Ministry of Transport announced $60 million emergency fund for bridge rehabilitation.
Moore said in 2023, the Port of Baltimore, a major shipping hub and jobs near the bridge, “handled a record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo valued at $80 billion.” announced in February. The port also created more than 15,000 direct jobs, “about 140,000 jobs related to port activities,” Moore said.