Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., slammed President Joe Biden on Thursday for promising that the federal government will pay to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which collapsed on Tuesday after one of its supports was struck by a cargo ship.
"It's my intention that the federal government will pay for the entire cost of reconstructing that bridge and I expect the Congress to support my effort," Biden said Tuesday.
The Key Bridge collapse shut down the Port of Baltimore and severed Interstate 695, in addition to creating chaos along the Eastern seaboard as shipping companies and port officials scramble to reroute Baltimore-bound shipments.
"It was kind of outrageous immediately for Biden to express in this tragedy the idea that he's going to use federal funds to pay for the entirety [of the bridge]," Meuser told Fox News. "First reaction, frankly, the only reaction, tends to be to spend."
On Tuesday, Biden pledged to Baltimore residents "all the federal resources they need as we respond to this emergency," promising that "we're going to rebuild that port together. This is going to take some time, but the people of Baltimore can count on us though to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopen and the bridge is rebuilt."
Though a time frame and a price tag for building a new bridge are unclear, Roll Call reported that federal officials told Maryland leaders on Wednesday rebuilding the bridge could cost as much as $2 billion.
Instead of putting the taxpayers on the hook, Meuser proposed seeking the funding from the Singapore government, where the MV Dali is registered, or going after the shipping company's insurance for the funds.
"We just can't take the easy route all the time and just try to spend the taxpayers' money," Meuser said. "There's no thought. Just spend."
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Wednesday that "every tool," including funding, would be made available to Maryland.
"The president made it very clear that every tool of the federal government needs to be available to Gov. Wes Moore as the state of Maryland leads the work on the bridge and the port," Buttigieg said. "We have to make sure that funding is not an obstacle and make sure we tear down any administrative barriers, too."
Although early reports indicate that the Dali may have lost power and was unable to steer away from the bridge, the National Transportation Safety Board has not yet made a determination about the cause of the incident.
The six people killed in the collapse were roadway workers who were fixing potholes. Two other people were rescued from the frigid river with injuries.
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.