DUNDALK, Md. — For the first time, President Biden got to see what's left of the Francis Scott Key Bridge - in person. He viewed the wreckage from the skies above the Patapsco River on board Marine One, joined by Governor Moore.
After receiving an update on the recovery operation, Biden delivered a speech outside Maryland Transportation Authority Police headquarters, which has been serving as the command center for the government's response efforts.
He began the speech with a message for the people of Maryland:
"I'm here to say the nation has your back and I mean it."
Biden went on to outline all the ways the federal government is throwing its weight behind the state and city's efforts to reopen the Port of Baltimore, support the people suddenly left without work, and eventually rebuild the bridge.
With that support, comes millions and millions of dollars. The first batch of funds was approved by the Biden administration less than two days after the collapse - $60 million to assist with recovery and clean-up.
Today, Biden announced more funding from the Dislocated Worker Grant program, a federal program that was created to provide funding to dislocated workers after large, unexpected economic events that lead to significant job losses.
Created to expand the service capacity of dislocated worker programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events that lead to significant job losses.
An initial $3.5 million was released today to help pay or subsidize wages for those who lost their jobs and are engaged in post-disaster relief employment. Funding from the grant can go up to $25 million. Some of the money will go towards training and hiring more people to help with the recovery efforts.
"But folks, we all need to step up. Amazon, Home Depot, Domino Sugar, and many other companies have committed to keeping workers on their payrolls and their businesses in Baltimore," Biden said today. "I'm calling on every company in and around the port, to do the same thing, the same exact thing - commit to stay. And to the customers who use this port - we're coming back, and we're coming back soon."
Most poignant in the President's speech were his remarks on the victims, and their grieving families. He shared the last words one of the men said to his girlfriend, right before tragedy struck.
"After pulling a night shift fixing potholes, they were on a break when the ship struck. Just seconds before, one of the men, named Carlos, who was only 24, left a message for his girlfriend which said: 'We just finished pouring cement. We're waiting for it to dry.' Well all of the families and loved ones are grieving. I've come here to grieve with you."
Looking ahead on our long road to recovery, the President said he "fully intends" for the federal government to cover the cost of a new bridge. He called on Congress to authorize that funding.
"My vow is that we will not rest, as Carlos said, until the cement dries,and the entirety of a new bridge - a new bridge."
Not everyone is on board with the plan to use taxpayer money to rebuild the bridge. The House Freedom Caucus, a group of more than 30 Republican representatives, said today they want Congress to instead seek maximum liability from the ship owner upfront, and have the Port of Baltimore draw upon already available federal funds first. The caucus also set forth a few conditions they say should be met before approving any supplemental federal funding.
In a statement posted on X,, the caucus writes: "Congress should ensure it is fully offset and that burdensome regulations (such as NEPA, the Endangered Species Act, the Davis Bacon Act, project labor agreements, etc.) are waived to avoid all unnecessary delays and costs. Furthermore, this funding must be limited to physical structure repairs with a federal nexus - this must not become a pork-filled bill loaded with unrelated projects and the House of Representatives must adhere to the 'single subject' rule. Finally, the Biden Administration's pause on approvals of liquified natural gas export terminals - which, like the Baltimore harbor closure, has severe implications for foreign trade - must be lifted before Congress considers appropriating any funding for the bridge reconstruction."
Mayor Brandon Scott responded to that statement on Xas well, writing: "Not surprising that they forgot to include the people impacted by this crisis. It’s not just physical structure — it’s tens of thousands of families that need to put food on their tables."
The Biden administration has said it intends to hold anybody responsible for the crash accountable. That includes recovering costs, which could help make taxpayers whole. But the administration doesn't want to hold up any of the work by waiting for to see how the insurance and liability issues play out.
