ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The line separating Senate President Bill Ferguson's and Senator Johnny Ray Salling's districts runs right through the Port of Baltimore.
The two Senators stood in front of their colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee asking them to approve financial support for the nearly 35,000 port workers.
"As a result, the fear in the eyes of individuals who just want to go to work is very present," said Senate President Ferguson, a Democrat from Baltimore City.
"It's important that we realize the national and international importance of this," said Senator Salling, from Baltimore County.
The Senators are co-sponsoring a bill which is a light framework authorizing the Moore-Miller administration to create a program to provide relief to workers and small businesses losing income.
During Tuesday's hearing, the Senators introduced a few amendments.
The bill would remove the work requirement to receive financial aid.
Money would flow from the state to businesses then to employees.
Both changes are efforts to keep employees at the port for when ships can return.
"When the channel is cleared, our hope is these folks can go immediately back to work," said the Senate President.
The bill also has language preparing for if the federal government provides financial assistance to the program.
Delegate Luke Clippinger told reporters Friday the state is hopeful the feds help cover some of the costs of keeping the port workers ready to work.
It provides protection to make sure businesses or employees aren't double dipping from federal and state programs.
"What's really needed to keep employment is to have grants in place, and if federal payments comes, it will be on backfill. That's where the double payment issue comes," said Senate President Ferguson.
The Senate President said the state is also in the process of setting up scholarship programs for the children of the victims in the collapse.
The bill passed out of the Senate Finance Committee and is heading to the Senate floor.
