Reported by Marybeth Luczak for Railway Age.
Duffy, 53, served in the House of Representatives from 2011 to 2019, representing Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District and serving as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and on the House Committee on Financial Services. He most recently was co-host of The Bottom Line on Fox Business, resigning from that position Nov. 12. He joined Fox News as a contributor in 2020.
His nomination for USDOT Secretary was approved by the Senate on Jan. 28 by a vote of 77 to 22, and passed the Senate Commerce Committee last week by a vote of 28 to 0.
Duffy said he was “deeply honored” by the President’s trust in him to “lead this important Department and for the Senate in swiftly confirming my nomination.”
“I am grateful the Senate has voted in support of Sean Duffy to lead the Department of Transportation,” Senator Ted Cruz (R-Tex.), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said in a statement. “Throughout the confirmation process, Sean has displayed a passion for public service and a willingness to listen and learn to ensure that this vital department is operating at the highest level of safety and efficiency across all modes under its jurisdiction. I want to congratulate Sean and his family, and I look forward to working with him to advance innovation and safety on America’s roads, railroad tracks, skies, and waterways.”
Industry Response
Many in the freight and transit rail industry issued statements following the confirmation of Duffy to lead the USDOT:
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD): “Transportation labor congratulates Sean Duffy on his confirmation as Secretary of the Department of Transportation,” said Greg Regan and Shari Semelsberger, TTD President and Secretary-Treasurer, respectively. “As Transportation Secretary, Mr. Duffy will play a critical leadership role in overseeing the modal agencies that keep the traveling public and transportation workers safe, including the Federal Aviation, Railroad, Maritime and Transit Administrations. As the nation’s largest transportation labor federation, our priority remains the same across changing political landscapes and evolving technology: the safety and well-being of frontline workers and passengers. In his confirmation hearing, Mr. Duffy committed to upholding the two-person staffing minimum for freight train crews, acknowledged the importance of investing in our passenger rail network, pledged to increase air traffic controller staffing, and expressed his support for the Jones Act. We are pleased that Mr. Duffy has a shared commitment on these issues, in addition to continuing to oversee the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s long-term investments in communities across America. We look forward to working with Secretary Duffy to improve America’s transportation systems, including commercial aviation, freight rail networks, Amtrak, and public transit, while ensuring that the workers who build, operate, maintain, and protect those systems remain safe on the job.”
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