Staff Reports
Washington, D.C. – Another day, another desperate attempt by the Biden administration to spend more of taxpayers’ hard-earned cash! The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore has sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill, with President Joe Biden wasting no time in calling for the federal government to foot the entire bill for the reconstruction. But conservative members of Congress are not having it, slamming the president’s hasty reaction to the disaster.
As discussions swirl about funding and the role of Congress in the rebuilding process, House Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) has predicted that a funding bill could start taking shape in the coming weeks. The Washington Examiner confirmed this timeline with Cole’s spokesperson, but the congressman stressed the need to ensure that any funding bill covers all necessary expenses, which could take some time.
This was an interstate highway bridge, even if only part of a bypass loop around the city. Federal interstate highway, federal responsibility.
Congress weighs federal dollars to address Baltimore bridge collapse https://t.co/4M7xyWSP8D via @dcexaminer
— Sorgatoni (@Sorghaghtani) March 30, 2024
Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation and its secretary, Pete Buttigieg, have been making pleas for bipartisan support in the aftermath of the bridge collapse. But some conservative members are skeptical, with Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD) calling for reduced environmental and regulatory burdens to speed up the rebuilding process, rather than relying on excessive federal intervention.
But it’s not just the Biden administration that’s drawing backlash from conservatives. Republican lawmakers like Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA) have expressed outrage at the notion of using federal funds to foot the entire bill for the bridge reconstruction. Meuser went so far as to suggest seeking funds from Singapore, where the cargo ship responsible for the collapse is registered, before resorting to dipping into taxpayers’ pockets.
Such conservative viewpoints have drawn sharp criticism from their Democratic counterparts, with Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) calling federal funding for the bridge’s replacement an essential investment to protect the economy. And Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-MD) has called out shortsightedness and lack of foresight on the part of those opposing federal funding for the rebuilding effort.
It seems like the battle lines are drawn, with Democrats pushing for swift federal intervention and Republicans demanding less government spending and a more creative approach to funding the reconstruction. It’s a dilemma that could reignite the eternal debate over the role and responsibility of the federal government in times of crisis. Will Congress manage to unite and swiftly address the reconstruction, or will partisan politics once again hinder progress? Only time will tell.
