WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen John Sarbanes (D-Md.-3), Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.-7) and Jamie Raskin (D-Md.-8) met Tuesday afternoon with Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott to discuss a wide range of issues of importance to Baltimore. Topics during the hour-long meeting in the U.S. Capitol included their joint efforts to strengthen public safety, public transit and affordable housing, and the ongoing effort to recover and rebuild following the catastrophic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. 

“We were proud to welcome Mayor Scott back to the United States Capitol. He has been a strong partner and a leader for our city, especially in the aftermath of the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” said Senator Cardin. “For years, our top priority has been to improve public safety across Baltimore City, so it was great to start our meeting with good news from the mayor about significant drops in violent crime and other positive trends. In addition, we continue to be united, as one Team Maryland, to deliver needed federal resources for infrastructure projects that support an equitable and united Baltimore like the revitalization of the Red Line and reconnecting the communities divided by the Highway to Nowhere, as well as replacing the Francis Scott Key Bridge.” 

“Following the collapse of the Key Bridge, we’ve shown the nation what it truly means to be ‘Baltimore Strong.’ Together, Team Maryland is committed to supporting Baltimore — from providing federal resources to rebuild the Bridge to working to secure critical investments in the City’s infrastructure, economy, public safety, and more. Alongside Mayor Scott, we will keep working to build an even brighter future for Baltimore,” said Senator Van Hollen.

“Baltimore is in a transformative moment in our history as we continue to grapple with the impacts of the Key Bridge collapse and work to build the renaissance our city is experiencing,” said Mayor Scott. “Our unparalleled partnership with our congressional delegation is helping us seize on the opportunities before us. On everything from the recovery from the bridge collapse to critical transportation projects like the Hanover Street Bridge, Frederick Douglass Tunnel, and the revival of the Red Line to supporting our historic violence reduction efforts – our delegation has been there to advocate for Charm City on Capitol Hill. Today, we discussed moving these projects forward and the importance of continuing to improve public safety the right way by expanding our collaborative work together.”

“Today’s thoughtful, collaborative discussion highlighted the important progress we can make in our communities – including through transformative projects like the Middle Branch Redevelopment Initiative and Hanover Street Revitalization project – with consistent, committed efforts from federal, state and local partners. We are grateful for Mayor Scott’s leadership and strategic vision, and we look forward to the significant positive impacts these projects will have on the City of Baltimore and our region,” said Congressman Sarbanes. 

“It was productive and advantageous to meet on Capitol Hill with Mayor Scott and other Baltimore City officials. Mayor Scott and his administration have strong allies in the U.S. House and Senate, as this delegation has displayed an unwavering commitment to uplifting our City. Our continued communication and cooperation will result in substantive and powerful action that will empower and best serve Baltimoreans everywhere,” said Congressman Mfume.

“My fellow Maryland congressional delegation members and I were delighted to welcome Baltimore Mayor Scott to Capitol Hill for a robust discussion on our shared priorities including federal funding to rebuild the Key Bridge,” said Representative Raskin. “As the significant achievement of fully reopening the Port of Baltimore in June demonstrated, our strong federal-local partnership allows us to deliver results for Marylanders. I look forward to working together to keep advancing objectives important to our state’s future, like investing in public safety, strengthening our education system, expanding affordable housing and more.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Senate Photo Office/Rene Bouchard