President-elect Donald Trump will nominate former U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, a Republican from Wisconsin, to be the next transportation secretary, Trump said in a statement Monday evening.
However, Duffy, who was praised by both parties during his term in the House of Representatives for helping to pass legislation to fund a bridge between Wisconsin and Minnesota, won five elections to the U.S. House of Representatives resigned from office in 2019 caring for a daughter who was born with heart disease and Down syndrome.
Duffy appeared on MTV’s “The Real World” before running for Congress. He met his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy on the show.
After leaving Congress, Duffy returned to television, appearing as a commentator on CNN, as a contributor to Fox News, and later as a co-host on Fox Business.
He is also a former member of the House Financial Services Committee led the financial services practice at the Republican-leaning lobbying firm BGR Group.
In the written statement announcing the presidential transition, Trump highlighted Duffy’s years in Congress.
“Sean will use his experience and the relationships he has built over many years in Congress to maintain and rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and fulfill our mission of ushering in the Golden Age of Travel, with an emphasis on safety, security, Efficiency and innovation lies,” Trump wrote. “Importantly, it will dramatically improve the travel experience for all Americans!”
Trump and Duffy appear to have a heated relationship with the former President encourages Duffy to run for governor of Wisconsin in 2022, bypassing the front-runner for the GOP nomination, former lieutenant governor Rebecca Kleefisch.
DOT portfolio
In 2021, Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. This law authorizes highway and transit programs through the end of September 2026.
The law expanded several funding sources for transportation, including some grant programs awarded at the discretion of the Minister.
If confirmed, Duffy would also oversee the Federal Aviation Administration, which is monitoring Boeing after a series of safety mishaps on the maker’s jets.
New rail safety standards following the catastrophic derailment of a train carrying risky goods near East Palestine, Ohio, last year, as well as autonomous vehicles, could also be on the next minister’s agenda.
Trump’s transportation secretary in his first term was Elaine Chao, who was a Labor minister under former President George W. Bush. Chao, who is married to outgoing Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, announced her resignation from government on January 7, 2021, a day after a pro-Trump mob stormed the US Capitol.
Trump’s record on transportation during his first term was marked by a series of false starts on a huge infrastructure package that never materialized. Some within the government sought to enhance private sector involvement in infrastructure, while others favored more direct federal spending.
Last updated on November 18, 2024 at 7:12 p.m
