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Senate committee approves Buttigieg nomination for Secretary of Transportation

Jan. 28, 2021

The committee overwhelmingly approved the nomination, which now moves to the full Senate for a vote.

USDOT Secretary-designate Pete Buttigieg during his Senate confirmation hearing, Jan. 21.

Pete Buttigieg, President Joe Biden’s nominee for the secretary of transportation, has moved a step further in the process following approval of the nomination by the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.

The vote was 21-3 with Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rick Scott (R-FL) being the three to vote against the nomination.

The committee’s chair, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) said he looked forward to seeing the full Senate confirm Buttigieg and working with him in his role leading the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“Transportation issues historically have been addressed on a bipartisan basis, and I expect to continue that practice with Mr. Buttigieg,” said Sen. Wicker.

The committee’s ranking member and incoming chair, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), praised Buttigieg’s experience in her opening statement during the executive session held Jan. 27.

“As someone who had served our country, as a United States Navy reservist, including deployment in Afghanistan, he also, as a Rhodes Scholar, showed impressive understanding of the future of our transportation policies and the major changes that they are going through,” said Sen. Cantwell. “He understands what all of us have to deal with on transportation and infrastructure…I enthusiastically endorse this nomination and I asked my colleagues to support it as well.”

Buttigieg posted his gratitude to the committee members on Twitter and noted he looked forward to working with the committee in the future.

The Senate has scheduled a vote on Buttigieg's nomination for noon on Tuesday, Feb. 2.

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content.

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.