Your current location:HOME >politics >Governor, Congress members to meet over support for rebuilding bridge 正文
TIME:2024-05-21 06:32:25 Source: Internet compilationEdit:politics
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland —Maryland Governor Wes Moore said he plans to meet with members of Congress this
Maryland Governor Wes Moore said he plans to meet with members of Congress this week to discuss support for rebuilding the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, which has blocked the main shipping channel at Baltimore's port for nearly two weeks.
"I'm going to be spending part of this week with our delegation going down and meeting with leaders and ranking members in the Congress and letting them know that this issue is not partisan. This is a patriotic responsibility to be able to support one of this country's great economic engines," Moore said Monday. "This is an opportunity to support a port that is directly responsible for the hiring of tens of thousands of people."
As Maryland lawmakers reached the end of their legislative session Monday, a measure authorizing use of the state's rainy-day fund to help port employees was approved and sent to Moore's desk. The governor planned to sign the emergency legislation Tuesday, putting it into effect right away.
The bridge collapsed March 26 after being struck by the cargo ship Dali, which lost power shortly after leaving Baltimore, bound for Sri Lanka. The ship issued a mayday alert with just enough time for police to stop traffic, but not enough to save a roadwork crew filling potholes on the bridge.
Authorities believe six workers — immigrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador — plunged to their deaths in the Patapsco River. Two others survived. The bodies of three workers have been recovered, but the search for the other victims continues.
Moore said the state remains focused on supporting the families of the six workers.
"We are still very much focused on bringing closure and comfort to these families, and the operations to be able to bring that closure to these families," Moore said. "It has not stopped. It continues to be a 24/7 operation."
Temporary, alternate channels have been cleared, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said last week that it expects to open a limited-access channel for barge container ships and some vessels moving cars and farm equipment by the end of April. Officials are aiming to restore normal capacity to Baltimore's port by the end of May.
Moore was upbeat about progress in reopening channels.
He said that if he had been told the morning of the collapse that there would be two channels open in two weeks, "I would have said that sounds really ambitious, considering what we saw, but that's where we are."
The governor also spoke of progress in removing debris, saying crews pulled 318 metric tons (350 tons) of steel from the Patapsco River on Sunday.
More than 50 salvage divers and 12 cranes are on site to help cut sections of the bridge and remove them from the key waterway. Crews began removing containers from the deck over the weekend, and they're making progress toward removing sections of the bridge that lie across the ship's bow so it can eventually move, according to the Key Bridge Response Unified Command.
Siblings trying to make US water polo teams for Paris Olympics2024-05-21 06:11
Indianapolis official La Keisha Jackson to fill role of late state Sen. Jean Breaux2024-05-21 06:03
Taylor Swift teases Fortnight's black2024-05-21 06:03
Apple pulls WhatsApp and Threads from App Store on Beijing's orders2024-05-21 05:33
Bella Hadid goes braless in a thigh2024-05-21 05:23
Ukraine, Israel aid bill on track as House pushes toward votes2024-05-21 05:17
Man United overhaul under Ratcliffe extends to new technical director2024-05-21 04:59
Larry David reunites with onscreen ex2024-05-21 04:53
Shooting injures 2 at Missouri high school graduation ceremony2024-05-21 04:18
Dutch soccer club Vitesse docked points and relegated during probe of Russian ties to Abramovich2024-05-21 04:08
Jon Wysocki dead at 53: Staind drummer passes away2024-05-21 06:00
Man United player Garnacho apologizes for liking critical posts about Ten Hag2024-05-21 05:56
Cycling star Evenepoel targets June return from crash ahead of Tour de France and Paris Olympics2024-05-21 05:26
Ukraine, Israel aid bill on track as House pushes toward votes2024-05-21 05:23
Russian theater director and playwright go on trial over a play authorities say justifies terrorism2024-05-21 05:10
Atlanta or Afghanistan? Wild shootout breaks out at gas station with one gunman wielding an AK2024-05-21 05:02
For the world's largest democratic exercise, one village's polling officers are all women2024-05-21 04:59
Beijing Half Marathon champion has medal taken away after other runners slowed down to let him win2024-05-21 04:32
Jon Wysocki dead at 53: Staind drummer passes away2024-05-21 04:06
Meghan Markle models 'love like a mother' t2024-05-21 04:03