The White House on Friday submitted an emergency supplemental funding request to Congress seeking billions of dollars to cover the costs of the collapse of a major bridge in Baltimore and other needs.
White House budget director Shalanda Young wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) outlining the request, which includes $33 million to replenish Army Corps of Engineers funds used to remove debris. in Baltimore Harbor following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.
The overall request totals nearly $4 billion and includes some items previously requested in a supplemental funding presentation in October.
Friday’s request includes $79.5 million to cover unplanned costs of the Coast Guard’s response to the bridge collapse. The money includes personnel as well as vessel, aviation and boat maintenance.
The White House is asking Congress to provide an additional $3.1 billion for the Department of Transportation’s Emergency Relief Program. This money would cover the cost of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge with a 100% share of federal costs and would repair other federal highways and federally owned roads that have been damaged by natural disasters.
The administration is also seeking $700 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to support relief efforts. That request dates back to 2023, when the administration sought funding to replenish needed relief funds following wildfires on Maui and devastating storms in the Midwest.
“I urge Congress to act as quickly as possible and administrations stand ready to work with you to fund these urgent needs,” Young wrote to Johnson.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in March after a huge ship struck it, causing the Port of Baltimore to close until it fully reopened earlier this month.
President Biden promised at the time that the federal government would foot the bill to rebuild the bridge, but that suggestion was met with some pushback from Republicans.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) said in an interview earlier this month that the cost to repair the Francis Scott Key Bridge could range between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion.
“The reason we ask for federal cost sharing, and 100 percent cost sharing, is simply because we have to act quickly. And I need to do it on time and on budget. We know that to move quickly, we need to get 100% cost participation,” Moore said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
