In response to the catastrophic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, the Biden-Harris Administration has swiftly mobilized a comprehensive federal effort aimed at both immediate recovery and long-term rebuilding. A Unified Command was promptly established to coordinate the wreckage's clearing and facilitate the port's reopening, demonstrating a commitment to safety and efficiency. The federal government has also expedited the approval of $60 million in Emergency Relief funds to cover Maryland's preliminary costs. It has pledged to support the full cost of the bridge's reconstruction, subject to congressional approval. To assist affected businesses and workers, the Small Business Administration is providing low-interest disaster loans, while the Department of Labor has released Dislocated Worker Grant funding.
This initiative is part of a broader collaboration with Maryland and Baltimore officials, reflecting the Administration's promise to assist the community every step of the way. The collapse's profound community impact is acknowledged, with a focus on supporting recovery efforts and minimizing economic disruptions. Efforts include facilitating the movement of goods, securing commitments from the private sector to maintain jobs, and launching initiatives to strengthen Maryland's economy. This multi-faceted approach underscores the Administration's dedication to infrastructure rebuilding, economic recovery, and providing essential resources and support to those impacted by the tragedy.
President Biden spoke in Baltimore, Maryland, expressing solidarity with the victims of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and emphasizing the federal government's commitment to aiding the community's recovery. He highlighted his connection to Baltimore and outlined the emergency response and financial support initiatives, including over $8 million for infrastructure improvements and plans to reopen the port's channel fully.
The President stressed the importance of rebuilding the bridge with union labor and American steel, called on Congress to authorize federal funding for reconstruction, and reflected on Baltimore's resilience, framing the recovery effort as a testament to American strength and unity.
In remarks made by President Biden before his departure on Marine One to Baltimore, Maryland, he was first asked about his reaction to the New York City earthquake. President Biden mentioned that he had spoken to the Governor of New Jersey, who believed everything was under control and was not overly concerned about the situation, indicating that things were "all right."
When asked whether he had threatened to stop military aid to Israel, The President responded that he had asked Israel to do what he told them to do. This response came amidst some cross-talk and repeated questions about potentially stopping military aid to Israel and whether the U.S. was abandoning Israel. In response to the latter question, President Biden queried the reporter's seriousness in asking such a question, suggesting skepticism or disbelief at the premise of the U.S. abandoning Israel.
President Biden celebrated a significant achievement in America's economic recovery in his statement on the March Jobs Report, highlighting the creation of 303,000 new jobs in March and a total of 15 million jobs since he took office. He attributed this success to his economic strategy, which focused on growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up, ensuring investments in all Americans and fairness for the middle class. The President noted the historic sustained low unemployment rate below 4% in over 50 years, rising wages, and significant inflation reduction. He committed to continuing efforts to lower costs on essentials like medications and to oppose Congressional Republicans' proposals to cut social security and healthcare benefits while opposing tax benefits for the wealthy and large corporations.
During her speech in Charlotte, North Carolina, Vice President Harris emphasized the significant investments in climate action and the drive for clean energy. Highlighting the administration's commitment, she announced a historic investment of roughly a trillion dollars over the next decade to combat the climate crisis, create jobs, and support small businesses and entrepreneurs in transitioning to clean energy. The Vice President stressed the importance of access to capital for all communities to partake in the clean energy economy, noting disparities in opportunities across different areas. To address this, she outlined the creation of the Economic Opportunity Coalition and the investment of $20 billion to fund community-based climate projects through nonprofit organizations, aiming to empower local decision-making and target historically underserved communities.
Vice President Harris illustrated the potential impacts of these investments with examples, including reduced energy bills and support for small businesses and homeowners in making energy-efficient upgrades. She concluded by linking climate investment with job creation, cost reduction, and promoting a more equitable and prosperous future.
President Biden has reached out to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar, urging them to influence Hamas towards negotiating a hostage exchange with Israel. This development comes as the conflict in Gaza enters its sixth month. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan is set to meet with the relatives of some hostages still believed to be in Gaza amidst CIA Director William Burns' discussions in Cairo about the crisis. The U.S. is pushing for a pause in hostilities to facilitate a hostage-prisoner swap as a step towards a temporary cease-fire and to improve humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza.
The President has emphasized the urgent need for a deal to secure the hostages' release, highlighting the importance of empowering Israeli negotiators. This push for a cease-fire and hostage release intensifies as the conflict has resulted in significant casualties and destruction, drawing comparisons to historical conflicts in terms of its devastating impact.
Source: The Associated Press
In a recent telephone conversation, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and his Sri Lankan counterpart, Sagala Ratnayake, discussed various aspects of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Sri Lanka. The key points of their conversation included U.S. support for Sri Lanka's sovereignty and security, Sri Lanka's progress in meeting the fiscal, monetary, and governance requirements of its International Monetary Fund program, and potential future collaborative efforts. Sullivan emphasized the importance of continuous engagement with Sri Lanka to promote regional peace and security jointly.
The U.S.-European Union Trade and Technology Council (TTC) met in Leuven, Belgium, for its sixth session, addressing trade and tech challenges amid global geopolitical tensions, particularly Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Co-chaired by top officials from the U.S. and EU, the council emphasized support for Ukraine, tackled the effects of non-market policies on economic stability, and discussed digital transformation and its impact on global security and democracy. Key achievements include commitments to AI regulation, quantum cooperation, 6G development, semiconductor resilience, and biotech innovation. The council also focused on sustainable trade, green initiatives, clean energy, human rights, misinformation combat, and secure digital infrastructure, with continued engagement with stakeholders across various sectors to strengthen transatlantic cooperation on strategic issues.
President Biden meets with Maryland Transportation Authorities after reviewing the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster from the air
What Did Joe Biden Do Today?