Nancy Mace blames Biden for Maryland bridge collapse

TL/DR -

South Carolina's Representative Nancy Mace blamed President Joe Biden for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge after a ship hit a major pier in Maryland, claiming infrastructure funds were not going to roads and bridges. Mace voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in 2021, but praised a South Carolina project funded with $26 million from the act. The act includes $40 billion of new funding for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation, the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system, and $89.9 billion in guaranteed funding for public transit over the next five years.

South Carolina's Rep. Nancy Mace Criticizes Biden for Maryland Bridge Collapse

South Carolina’s Rep. Nancy Mace appeared on Newsmax recently blaming President Joe Biden for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Maryland. The bridge suffered a ship strike on a major pier.

Newsmax host Rob Astorino, commenting on the state of U.S. infrastructure, asked why, despite several bills and significant funding, the country's bridges and roads remain in such poor condition. Mace responded by claiming that infrastructure funds were not adequately used for roads and bridges.

"We're not spending it on roads and bridges," she stated. "Look at the 1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill. It was mostly a Green New Deal."

"In that bill, 110 billion went to surface transportation, including roads and bridges. However, 70 billion of that went to public transportation, leaving only 40 billion for traditional roads and bridges," Mace added.

Mace voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in late 2021, referring to it as a “fiasco” and a “socialist wish list.” Nonetheless, she praised a South Carolina project funded with $26 million from the act—a regional transit hub designed to help the Charleston Area Regional Transportation Authority transition to a fully electric bus fleet.

For those interested in what the IIJA includes, you can read the White House fact sheet.

The bill includes $40 billion of new funding for bridge repair and replacement. It also provides around $16 billion for significant projects that deliver economic benefits to communities.

The question remains if this funding is enough to fix the 45,000 U.S. bridges deemed at risk and the 173,000 miles of poor roads. Not to mention the need for lead pipe replacement at 400,000 U.S. public schools. Of course, Mace also voted against the Inflation Reduction Act, another source of funds for such projects.

The IIJA is not without its critics, particularly those concerned about the environment. Mace’s attack on the law as “mostly Green New Deal" is, however, seen as part of the GOP playbook this season. They are heavily criticizing Biden’s environmental initiatives, labeling them as part of his “radical climate agenda.”

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