Senate Confirms Elaine Chao as Department of Transportation Secretary
The country’s top transportation officer will be Elaine Chao after the Senate voted to confirm her Jan. 31.
Chao joins President Trump’s cabinet to direct agencies that oversee trucking regulation, highway safety and aviation. She indicated atop her priorities will be to help advance a long-term funding proposal for infrastructure projects and crafting policies designed for emerging automation technologies. During the campaign, Trump’s advisers proposed investing $1 trillion over 10 years by providing tax credits to investors.
Ninety-three senators backed her nomination, six voted against her and one voted “present.”
The chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, John Thune (R-S.D.), strongly endorsed Chao for the job.
“Chao has the experience, ability, and now the bipartisan backing of the Senate to address our nation’s transportation and infrastructure challenges. Her unwavering commitment to public service will be an asset to the Department of Transportation and the new administration,” Thune said in a statement shortly after Chao was confirmed. “As a new era begins, I look forward to working with her on an agenda to boost innovation and our country’s economic success.”
Ray LaHood, former secretary of transportation and co-chairman of Building America's Future, applauded Chao’s confirmation.
“I am confident that under her leadership, the future of our roads, rails, runways and transit systems will be in good hands. Secretary Chao has a strong understanding of Washington and how to engage the private sector, as well as the importance of consulting with mayors and governors,” LaHood said.
Marshall Doney, president and CEO of AAA, said the organization will look to work with Chao to “identify solutions for transportation safety and funding challenges and intelligent transportation systems, automation and other shared priorities.”
“AAA firmly believes that significant, additional investments are needed to maintain existing infrastructure and to enhance the nation’s system,” Doney said.
Chao, who is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), was President George W. Bush’s secretary of labor. Her confirmation comes after the Senate confirmed Trump’s secretary of defense, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency and the ambassador to the United Nations.
