On Wednesday, members of the Maryland Congressional delegation made their case about why President Biden’s $100 billion disaster supplement needs to be passed. Earlier this week, Biden submitted a disaster relief plan that included a request of funding to pay for the full cost of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, from Maryland, and other members of the Senate Appropriations Committee heard testimony from the U.S. Department of Transportation, FEMA and the Small Business Administration.
Disaster programs are running dry, which could have impacts on the timeline for the Key Bridge rebuild, according to the testimony.
"This funding request covers the entire backlog from Helene, to Milton, to the Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement to dozens of other disasters," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.
President Biden explained in his letter to Congress that many disaster programs need to be funded to provide support to several states.
Buttigieg explained the president is asking to fund the entire reconstruction. Any insurance money acquired during this rebuild will be given back to the feds. Buttigieg said this collapse underscores the need for more funding now.
"Right now, we have $119.6 million in the entire account, which means we are very much one disaster away from being completely out of funding," Buttigieg said.
The Small Business Administration says it is out of money after giving out thousands of disaster loans totaling nearly $2 billion this year. This includes loans in Maryland.
"Behind each loan is a story of a resilient American seeking to rebuild and recover," said Isabel Guzman, administrator for the Small Business Administration. "SBA has a vital role to play in the federal disaster response, but the agency's disaster loan program has been unable to meet demand since Oct. 15."
Congress will now debate if this supplement should be funded before the next Congress convenes in January.
Source: Fast Company, CBS
