Biden surveys collapsed Baltimore bridge

(Reuters) — President Joe Biden visited Baltimore Friday to survey the site of a collapsed bridge, amid growing tensions in Congress over using federal dollars to rebuild the bridge.

A cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, sending it collapsing into the harbor. Work to clear the wreckage and restore traffic through the shipping channel is ongoing.

Biden’s visit came as state and federal officials have raised alarms over the potential economic hardships that the port’s closure could have on the regional economy.

The Port of Baltimore ranks first in the United States for the volume it handles of autos and light trucks and farm and construction machinery, according to the state of Maryland. Most of that traffic has been suspended since the accident, though some terminal operations outside the affected area have resumed.

There are growing signs of friction among some U.S. lawmakers about using new federal dollars to fund the bridge’s reconstruction.

Federal officials have told Maryland lawmakers the final cost of rebuilding the bridge could soar to at least $2 billion.

On Friday, the White House’s Office of Management & Budget sent a letter to Congress asking the federal government to cover all costs to replace the bridge.

The incident has already idled thousands of port workers who depend on it for jobs.

Top White House officials such as chief of staff Jeff Zients, senior adviser Tom Perez and economic adviser Lael Brainard have called large employers in the Baltimore area to encourage them to retain workers, a White House official said.

Local employers, including United Parcel Service, Amazon.co, Home Depot and Mercedes-Benz are committing to retain their workers, the White House said.

The Small Business Administration has also made low-interest disaster loans available, and Biden’s supply chain task force has met several times to analyze the impact, “which has so far been manageable,” the official said.