Rep. Jeff Denham Calls on White House to Name Nominees for Top DOT Posts
WASHINGTON — When Department of Transportation agencies are managed by full-time administrators, there’s greater oversight to ensure the efficient movement of freight and safety across modes of transportation, the top rail authorizer in the House said April 14.
“I think that our concern, which has been voiced by many members is with the [Obama] administration — an administration that has taken far too long on rules; an administration that has taken far too long on making sure that we have appointments that are moving forward,” said Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), chairman of the subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, during a hearing of his panel.
Speaking directly to the acting administrators of the Federal Railroad Administration and the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Sarah Feinberg and Timothy Butters, respectively, Denham added: “Out of the five departments of transportation positions that have acting administrators, these two are critical to the safety of our country in making sure that we’re having goods and people movement.”
Feinberg and Butters told the chairman that administration officials were not vetting them for full-time roles at the agencies. Feinberg noted that she would be interested in staying in her role full time. They both deferred to the White House for any decisions.
Feinberg was named FRA acting administrator Jan. 9. Butters was named PHMSA acting administrator Oct. 4.
Denham is the latest lawmaker to call on the administration to announce nominees for DOT leadership roles. In the Senate, Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) has expressed concern over the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s lack of leadership. The agency, which oversees the trucking industry, is being managed by chief counsel Scott Darling, who most recently served as acting administrator.
The Federal Transit Administration and the Federal Highway Administration also do not have full-time administrators. The White House has nominated Therese McMillan to run the FTA, but it has not indicated when it would announce nominees to run the other four agencies.
