Current:Home > MarketsTransportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says "we don't fully know" conditions for Baltimore bridge repair -WealthMindset Learning
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says "we don't fully know" conditions for Baltimore bridge repair
View
Date:2025-04-12 23:00:34
Washington — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that as officials eye rebuilding efforts, it's not fully known the condition of what remains of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after it collapsed days ago when it was hit by a cargo ship.
"A lot goes into how that reconstruction will be designed, how the process is going to work," Buttigieg said on "Face the Nation" on Sunday. He noted that he didn't have an estimate on the rebuilding timeline, but the bridge itself took five years to initially construct. "Right now we don't fully know everything we need to know about the condition of the portions of the bridge that did not collapse."
- Transcript: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on "Face the Nation," March 31, 2024
First, as officials are working to clear debris and reopen the channel. Buttigieg said it remains unclear how long that process will take, but the work is "underway." He said that it's going to be a "very complex process," noting the process for dismantling what remains of the bridge safely.
"It has to be done because that is the only way to get into most of the Port of Baltimore," Buttigieg said, making clear its importance not only to Maryland but also for national supply chains.
Then there's the process of rebuilding the bridge, which is expected to take longer. Buttigieg noted that work is already underway there as well, after the federal government released $60 million in emergency relief funding. Additional emergency funds are expected to follow.
"This is not going to happen overnight, but we're going to help Maryland do it as quickly as they responsibly can," Buttigieg said.
The administration is expected to turn to Congress to approve additional funding to rebuild the bridge. Last week, President Biden outlined that he wants the federal government to pay for the entire cost of the bridge's reconstruction, adding that he expects Congress to support the effort. But they may face opposition from some Republicans.
Buttigieg said the pitch to lawmakers is that "your district could be next."
"This has historically been bipartisan," he said, noting support for bridge rebuilding funds in a 2007 collapse along with support for the Bipartisan Infrastructure package in 2021. "If there's anything left in this country that is more bipartisan than infrastructure, it should be emergency response. This is both, and I hope that Congress will be willing if and when we turn to them."
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who also appeared on "Face the Nation" on Sunday, said he has the "best congressional delegation in the United States Congress," and Maryland lawmakers have been on the ground in Baltimore and "are going to do everything in their power to bring back resources for this tragedy."
The mayor said that "no party conversation should be involved at all" in the discussion of how aid will be sent to Baltimore.
Kaia HubbardKaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
TwitterveryGood! (1)
Related
- 'Meet me at the gate': Watch as widow scatters husband's ashes, BASE jumps into canyon
- EBY's Seamless Bralettes & Briefs Are What Your Intimates Drawer Has Been Missing
- Delaware judge orders status report on felony gun charge against Hunter Biden
- Fifth inmate dead in five weeks at troubled Georgia jail being probed by feds
- Billy Bean was an LGBTQ advocate and one of baseball's great heroes
- After nearly 30 years, Pennsylvania will end state funding for anti-abortion counseling centers
- Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell can continue with his work schedule, congressional physician says
- Taylor Swift is 'in a class of her own right now,' as Eras tour gives way to Eras movie
- Charges: D'Vontaye Mitchell died after being held down for about 9 minutes
- Princess Diana Honored by Brother Charles Spencer on Anniversary of Her Death
Ranking
- Illinois Gov. Pritzker calls for sheriff to resign after Sonya Massey shooting
- Russia reports more drone attacks as satellite photos indicate earlier barrage destroyed 2 aircraft
- Food ads are in the crosshairs as Burger King, others face lawsuits for false advertising
- A federal judge strikes down a Texas law requiring age verification to view pornographic websites
- Sarah J. Maas books explained: How to read 'ACOTAR,' 'Throne of Glass' in order.
- Here Are the 26 Best Amazon Labor Day 2023 Deals Starting at Just $7
- A 'conservation success': Texas zoo hatches 4 critically endangered gharial crocodiles
- Lionel Messi will miss one Inter Miami game in September for 2026 World Cup qualifying
Recommendation
Romantasy reigns on spicy BookTok: Recommendations from the internet’s favorite genre
Food ads are in the crosshairs as Burger King, others face lawsuits for false advertising
Car bomb explosions and hostage-taking inside prisons underscore Ecuador’s fragile security
Hawaii cultural figures lead statewide 'healing' vigil following deadly wildfires
Carolinas bracing for second landfall from Tropical Storm Debby: Live updates
The job market continues to expand at a healthy clip as U.S. heads into Labor Day
2nd man charged in July shooting at massive Indiana block party that killed 1, injured 17
Whatever happened to the case of 66 child deaths linked to cough syrup from India?