Freedom Caucus: Don’t Fund Key Bridge Replacement

Courthouse News reports:

The House Freedom Caucus, the lower chamber’s conservative voting bloc, said Friday that lawmakers should not consider any legislation that would fund the Key Bridge’s rebuild without first consulting other options.

Laying out its position in a statement, the caucus argued that government should first seek “maximum liability” from the company that owns the Dali, the Singapore-flagged vessel which caused the bridge’s collapse. The Port of Baltimore should also use up existing federal funds before lawmakers authorize a fresh spending package, the statement read.

If more federal funding is needed, the Freedom Caucus said, Congress should ensure that “burdensome regulations” such as the National Environmental Policy Act and the Endangered Species Act can be safely ignored to prevent cost overruns.

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The House Freedom Caucus is advocating for Congress to minimize government spending on a replacement for the collapsed bridge. The White House has said Washington will fully fund the project. @BenjaminSWeiss https://t.co/OyujQA6RdR

— Courthouse News (@CourthouseNews) April 5, 2024