Appropriator Rep. David Trone Delivers Remarks at Press Conference Following Delegation Meeting on the Francis Scott Key Bridge
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2024
Appropriator Rep. David Trone Delivers Remarks at Press Conference Following Delegation Meeting on the Francis Scott Key Bridge
Congressman David Trone (D-MD), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the press conference after a meeting with Maryland’s federal delegation, Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Governor Wes Moore, and more officials on the Francis Scott Key Bridge. On Friday, he affirmed (via statement) President Biden’s promise for the federal government to pay for 100% of the project and called on his Congressional colleagues to support.
Congressman David Trone delivers remarks on April 9, 2024. Video here.
“First of all, what’s most important to think about, again, as was mentioned, the six souls that lost their lives… [from] Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador… these are immigrants that are so often vilified throughout our country now.
“Yet, they’re often the greatest Americans, Americans who work the toughest jobs and the toughest hours of the day, with very little respect and compensation. So, we need to continue to honor them and realize their importance to our society. I want to also thank Governor Moore: his leadership on the ground, being there every day. He has been the quarterback. He’s been the go-to guy to get this partnership with the federal government executed. So he has just been a rock star in this effort.
“But at the same time, as I mentioned, as an appropriator, a bipartisan appropriator working with Congressman Harris, future appropriations chair Tom Cole. We’ve got to bring these dollars home in a positive way. But at the same time, the devil is in the details. And we’ve got to make sure we execute on President Biden’s promises. His promise to make sure that union labor builds this bridge. We need these projects to have Project Labor Agreements, so our union brothers and sisters can build the bridge the right way and on time. And we got to keep thinking about those that have lost wages: our longshoremen, our small businessmen, in the Port of Baltimore, 2.2 million dollars a day in lost wages. Guess what? Four hundred and thirty dollars a week unemployment ain’t going to cover it.
“The special fund by the state, [makes it] maybe six hundred hundred dollars a week. That’s not going to cover it. They still got mortgages to meet, food to put on the table, so we need an all of government effort not to just let that slip through the cracks and say, ‘oh, the Port’s open now again. It’s June 1, too bad.’ The government, the President made a commitment to all those there to make up on those lost wages, and we’ve got to come through on that, and that’s what this team will do. So thank you.”
