Republican claps back at President Biden's ask for Congress to approve taxpayer dollars to fix the Baltimore bridge saying it's 'outrageous' to put Americans on the hook

• U.S. officials expect the rebuild could cost upwards of $2 billion  
• ‘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,’ Meuser said 

Republicans are beginning to balk at President Biden’s request for billions of taxpayer money to rebuild the collapsed Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

Rep. Dan Meuser, a Republican from neighboring state Pennsylvania, said it was ‘outrageous’ for President Biden to say he intends for the federal government to pick up the costs to rebuild the structure.

U.S. officials expect the rebuild could cost upwards of $2 billion.

‘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,’ Meuser said on Fox Business’ Mornings with Maria.

The Republican suggested Biden pull money from his electric vehicle expenditures to pay for the damage. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated some $7 billion for electric vehicle charging stations.

Rep. Dan Meuser, a Republican from neighboring state Pennsylvania , said it was ‘outrageous’ for President Biden to say he intends the structure

President Biden said in a press conference Tuesday that he intends for the federal government to cover the ‘entire cost’ of reconstructing the bridge and he expects Congress to move on that effort.

‘[The port] handled a record amount of cargo last year … and we’re going to get it up and running again as soon as possible,’ Biden said. ‘I’ve directed my team to move heaven and earth to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge as soon as humanly possible.’

Congress is currently on recess until mid-April and it’s not clear whether both chambers will be able to come together on a funding package.

When the Interstate 35W bridge collapsed over the Mississippi River in 2007, Congress offered $250 million and it was repaired within a year.

The Francis Scott Key bridge was a main access route between Washington and New York, with some 31,000 cars passing over it per day, 11.3 million vehicles per year. It collapsed early Tuesday morning after it was hit by a cargo ship.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen said recovery efforts would begin with releasing money from an emergency fund in the Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration.

Construction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge cost $62 million in 1972, according to the Maryland Transit Authority.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said there are no immediate estimates for how much repairing the bridge would cost. He said the federal government has about $950 million in an emergency fund that could be used.

‘We are committed to delivering every federal resource needed, every federal resource needed to help Maryland get back to normal, and we’re going to work with them every step of the way to rebuild this bridge. It is not going to be simple,’ he told reporters. ‘Rebuilding will not be quick or easy or cheap, but we will get it done.’

Some grumblings have emerged that the bridge was a toll road collecting money for the state of Maryland, and thus should not be the federal government’s problem. Still others have complained about the bipartisan infrastructure package.

Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency Tuesday morning following the catastrophic collision at about 1.30am

Divers searched for six missing people and so far have found two bodies

The ship – the Singaporean-flagged Dali – was 20 minutes into its journey when it slammed into a support column on the bridge

‘We’re not spending it on roads and bridges,’ Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., recently said of the $1.2 trillion bill. ‘The left hails as this massive success, but it was mostly Green New Deal.’

That bill included $110 billion to ‘repair our roads and bridges and support major, transformational projects,’ according to the White House.

‘If you live along the coast or you live near water, you know that our bridges are rusting out, you know that we have many, many bridges that have to be replaced and upgraded,’ Mace went on.

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