Political Quotes

“I take this time, along with Senator Van Hollen, to update our colleagues on the tragic events that took place in Baltimore on March 26 of this year when the Dali, an almost 1,000- foot container vessel, ran into the support pier of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and, within seconds, the bridge collapsed. It was a sight that was seen around the world in horror. It was a horrific event, and it had a major impact not only on my community in Baltimore but also around the Nation. The Francis Scott Key Bridge is part of I-695 and part of the I-95 corridor on the east coast of the United States. It also is a bridge that is over the only channel into the Port of Baltimore. The Port of Baltimore is the third busiest port in the United States. It is No. 1 in roll-on, roll-off cargo, and it is critically important to our national economy, our supply chains, et cetera. This bridge is a major thoroughfare for the Northeast corridor. Over 34,000 vehicles a day were transporting through the Francis Scott Key Bridge prior to it being destroyed. Now, the immediate impact: I think we have all seen the images of how the bridge collapsed and that part of the bridge was actually on the Dali vessel. The heart of the channel was completely blocked by the debris of concrete and steel. The immediate tragedy was the loss of life. When the Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, there were eight people on the bridge.…”