Schafer added that the “politics of getting to the moment of building the bridge can run on much longer than the actual building of it,” a claim already hinted at by state and federal officials.

“A special thanks to President Biden who made it very very clear that he will do everything in his power to make sure that we get the help we need to deal with this challenge,” said Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat, at a Tuesday news conference. “But as Secretary (Pete) Buttigieg told us in our briefings, he’s going to need the help of Congress to get things done.”

Buttigieg, the federal secretary of transportation, said on Tuesday his department stands ready to “approve emergency funding as soon as we receive that request.”

“This is no ordinary bridge. This is one of the cathedrals of American infrastructure,” Buttigieg said. “It has been part of the skyline of this region for longer than many of us have been alive. So the path to normalcy will not be easy, it will not be quick, it will not be inexpensive, but we will rebuild together.”

In a White House briefing Wednesday, Buttigieg did not answer questions about rough cost estimates or timelines for rebuilding the bridge but reiterated the administration’s vow to support it.

He said he believed the Maryland Department of Transportation already submitted an emergency relief request, which would provide immediate access to an account that has roughly $950 million available. Still, that account has a long list of needs and projects already lined up for it, so congressional approval for more funds may be needed, he said. Congress may also need to approve the full federal financing that Biden referenced.

Congress moving quickly on a rebuild isn’t out of the question, though Biden often finds himself at odds with the thin Republican majority in the U.S. House. In 2007, the I-35W bridge collapsed in Minneapolis, killing 13 and injuring nearly 150 people. Just a few days later, Congress approved a quarter of a billion dollars to go towards rebuilding the bridge.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat, said in an interview that access to the emergency relief would require Maryland to put 10% toward the rebuild and federal lawmakers could act to avoid that. Other funding could come from the shipping company if they’re eventually found liable, he said.

“I will do everything possible to secure the necessary federal resources to clear the channel and reopen the port and rebuild the bridge,” Van Hollen said.

From Annapolis, Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Democrat representing Baltimore City, said he was “very pleased” Biden committed federal dollars to the reconstruction efforts.

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