The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation panel on July 15 easily approved the nominations of two Transportation Department officials for senior positions.
By a voice vote, the panel signed off on the nominations of Victor Mendez for the department’s No. 2 job, as well as Peter Rogoff’s nomination to become undersecretary of transportation for policy.
Mendez and Rogoff fill those roles in an acting capacity. In May, President Obama picked Mendez and Rogoff to fill those posts permanently.
The full Senate is expected to take up their nominations this month.
Mendez has served as deputy secretary since December. He took over for John Porcari, who left DOT for a position at the global management firm Parsons Brinckerhoff. Mendez is the chief of the Federal Highway Administration.
Rogoff, the top officer at the Federal Transit Administration, took over provisionally for Polly Trottenberg after she left DOT to run New York City’s transportation unit.
Mendez was confirmed for the FHWA post in 2009. Prior to that, he oversaw Arizona's Transportation Department under then-Gov. Janet Napolitano. Rogoff was a former Senate appropriations staffer who was confirmed for the FTA job in 2009.
