Emergency bill would pay workers during Port of Baltimore crisis

More than 24 hours following the Key Bridge collapse, ship arrivals and departures at the Port of Baltimore remain suspended. The impact is expected to be significant, not only for residents in the Baltimore region who depend on goods and services being delivered, but also port workers who could be missing out on a paycheck.

State Senate President Bill Ferguson, who represents the area, estimates that number to be over 15,000. Together, he and Maryland Delegate Luke Clippinger are drafting emergency legislation to provide 'income replacement for workers impacted by this travesty.' Exact details of the bill are unclear. It's expected to be drafted by week's end, just days before the General Assembly wraps up on April 8.

Just last year, the Port of Baltimore created around 15,300 direct jobs, with nearly 140,000 jobs overall linked to Port activities. Those jobs generated nearly $3.3 billion in personal wages and salaries, $2.6 billion in business revenue, and nearly $400 million in state and local tax revenue annually, according to the Maryland Port Administration.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden on Tuesday said it was a priority to get the Port back up and running. Biden also promised the federal government would pay the entire cost of bridge reconstruction. Maryland Congressman Andy Harris on Wednesday called for the process to be expedited.

The Francis Scott Key Bridge is one of the heaviest-trafficked bridges in Baltimore, and its tragic collapse will halt the flow of ships in and out of the Port of Baltimore and hurt the local economy,' said Harris, a Republican. 'As we first concentrate on recovering the victims, it is important that both the State and Federal governments work together to immediately reduce the environmental and regulatory burdens that would hinder the rapid reconstruction of the Key Bridge.

Overall, the Port is the second busiest along the Mid-Atlantic, and first in the nation for vehicles.