GEOFF BENNETT: President Biden visited# the site of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore this afternoon,# getting a firsthand look at the cleanup## and recovery efforts to reopen one# of the nation's key shipping hubs.

The deadly collapse killed six workers# who were filling potholes on the bridge## when a container ship slammed into one# of its pillars last week.

President Biden## met with the families of the victims and# reaffirmed his commitment to the people## of Baltimore.

He's asking Congress to pay# the full cost of rebuilding the bridge.

JOE BIDEN, President of the United# States: Everyone, including Congress,## should be asking only one question.# And they're going to be asked the## question by your delegation.

How can# we help?

How can we solve the problem?

My administration is committed,## absolutely committed to ensuring that the# party responsible for this tragedy pay to## repair the damage and be held accountable# to the fullest extent the law will allow.

GEOFF BENNETT: Maryland Governor Wes Moore was# with President Biden today, and he joins us now.

Governor, thanks for being with us,# and welcome back to the "NewsHour."

GOV.

WES MOORE (D-MD): Thank you# so much.

Great to be with you.

GEOFF BENNETT: So the U.S. Army Corps of# Engineers announced a timeline .. open that channel in Baltimore by the end of# April and fully reopen it by the end of May.

Still, though, what challenges# and obstacles remain that could## get in the way of that ambitious timeline?

GOV.

WES MOORE: Well, this is arguably one of the## most significant maritime tragedies# that we have had in recent history.

Because what we have here is a situation,# in addition to the six tragic lives that## were lost -- and we continue to have their# families in our prayers -- we also have a## situation that's unprecedented, a situation# where you have a ship that is the size,## literally the size of the Eiffel Tower# and the weight of the Washington Monument## that's now sitting in the middle of the# Patapsco River and has the Key Bridge,## an iconic bridge that's been around as long as I# have been alive, that's now sitting on top of it.

You have about 27,000 tons of debris that's now# sitting in the water.

And so how to navigate## this and do this is a remarkably complicated# operation.

We have been grateful that we have## been working hand in hand with the Army Corps# of Engineers, with the Coast Guard, with the# Navy SUPSALV, with the# Maryland State Police divers.

So this has been a full coordination of federal,# state and local assets.

And while we're thankful## that the Army Corps of Engineers has# put together an aggressive timeline,## we know that it's going to take all hands# on deck.

We know it's going to continue to## be a 24/7 operation.

And we know we're# going to continue putting together all## assets necessary in order for us to provide# comfort to the families, reopen the channels,## make sure we're taking care of our people,# and getting the Key Bridge rebuilt.

GEOFF BENNETT: The closure obviously has an# impact on the national economy.

What are the## consequences of a prolonged closure# of this port on Maryland's economy?

And are you concerned that shippers# and suppliers could permanently shift## to ports in New Jersey and New York, for instance?

GOV.

WES MOORE: Well, I'm very concerned# not just about what it's going to mean## to Maryland's economy, but what it's# going to mean to the nation's economy.

This is going to hurt the farmer in Kentucky,# because the largest port in this country for## agricultural equipment is the Port of# Baltimore.

This is going to hurt the## automaker in Ohio because the largest port in# this country for new cars and heavy trucks is## the Port of Baltimore.

This is going to hurt# the restaurant owner in Tennessee because the## largest port for spices and sugars in# the country is the Port of Baltimore.

So this is not just going to have significant# impacts on Maryland's economy.

It will have## significant impacts on our national economy.

But# it is one of the reasons that we have been working## around the clock, and also we're so grateful# for the support that we receive from businesses.

So, for example, today, we just launched# something called the Maryland Tough Baltimore## Strong Alliance, which now has over 80 companies# that have signed on, some of which who have## signed on and said they are not going to lay off# workers or saying they are not going to reroute## their products, and, even if they have to do it# temporarily, they are coming back to Baltimore.

So seeing the way the community, and that includes# the business community, has been rallying around## Maryland and rallying around Baltimore# in this moment has been truly inspiring.

GEOFF BENNETT: As you mentioned,## six men died in the collapse of .. How are their families faring and what,## if anything, is being done to support# them, given that they likely don't have## the resources to sustain the type of# tragedies that have befallen them?

GOV.

WES MOORE: Our hearts continue# to break for these families.

And I remember I first had a chance# to meet with the families when this## was still a search-and-rescue operation.# And I told them we would spare no expense## and we would do everything in our# power to -- and using assets of air,## land and sea -- to being able to# bring their family members home.

And even as this mission has now transitioned# into now a recovery mission, where this is## really about how we bring a sense of closure to# these families, I promise the same thing, that we## will use all of our resources to bring a sense of# closure and a sense of comfort to these families.

These are men who went to work and had no idea# that, even though the work they were doing was## dangerous, had no idea it was going to be deadly.# Same thing with their families.

So we are going to## make sure that we are wrapping our arms around# them, and not just lifting them up in prayer,## but also making sure that we have supports in# place for them, their families and their children.

It's the reason that I actually# introduced legislation that is## going to provide scholarships and supports# to the families of these fallen workers.

GEOFF BENNETT: And, lastly, Governor,## how has this incident led you to think# differently about regulating and inspecting## existing bridges and then ultimately# designing the Key Bridge differently?

GOV.

WES MOORE: Well, I came into this# knowing that the number one priority## for me was always going to be to keep# our people safe.

Nothing matters more.

And that includes our critical# infrastructure.

That includes## how people are moving around.

And so we have# always had a very aggressive push on making## sure that we're having hard -- having fortified# critical infrastructure, roads, bridges, tunnels,## so that people can actually move safely# from where they live to where they work,## where they live to where they worship,# where they live to where they go to school.

And we are going to make sure that# that process does continue.

And I know,## as a full investigation is taking place as to what# exactly happened in this situation by the NTSB,## not only do I encourage that investigation,# I want it to be a speedy investigation.

And## if there are people who need to be# held to account for the catastrophe## that we saw here in Baltimore, I want# people to be held to account for it.

And so making sure we have a hard and critical# infrastructure is of highest priority,## but also making sure that we're learning the# lessons and have clear accountability for people,## particularly in this situation, also is# something that I think is crucially important.

GEOFF BENNETT: That is# Maryland Governor Wes Moore.

Governor, we appreciate you making# time for us this evening.

Thank you.

GOV.

WES MOORE: God bless you.

Thank you.