The House Freedom Caucus signaled Friday that they’re open to giving federal funds to rebuild the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, but they have a few significant conditions.
The conservative hardliners’ caveats include: They want the Biden administration to reverse course on its pause on new export terminal permits for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and for any spending to be fully offset by cuts elsewhere. Notably, Speaker Mike Johnson had recently floated a proposal to link long-stalled Ukraine aid with easing that same energy policy.
Meanwhile, Biden is preparing to visit the site of the collapsed bridge on Friday, and Office of Management and Budget director Shalanda Young asked congressional leaders to authorize “a 100 percent Federal cost share” in a Friday letter.
While federal funding to help rebuild the bridge has gotten bipartisan backing, the Freedom Caucus’ position shows the challenges ahead as Congress mulls its response. Johnson wouldn’t necessarily need those votes to pass a spending bill, assuming widespread Democratic support, but he could be wary of further angering his right flank, particularly with a pending effort to boot him from the speakership.
And it’s not just Freedom Caucus Republicans who’ve cautioned against a hasty federal response to the Baltimore tragedy. Many GOP lawmakers have urged that officials exhaust existing federal pots of money before considering new spending.
“If it proves necessary to appropriate taxpayer money to get one of America’s busiest ports back online, Congress should ensure it is fully offset and that burdensome regulations … are waived,” the Freedom Caucus position reads, pointing to various environmental and labor rules.
The group also demanded pursuit of “maximum liability from the foreign shipping companies upfront” and said the Biden administration’s LNG export permitting pause “must be lifted” before Congress considers any emergency funds.
