At his confirmation hearing on Jan. 15, Duffy said he would prioritize road safety to reduce fatalities on American roadways, noting there are more than 40,000 deaths in traffic accidents each year. Duffy, 53, said another priority is to focus on large construction projects and reduce the red tape that he said “slows critical infrastructure projects.” Duffy said that the country needs more air traffic controllers to improve aviation. He promised to work with the Federal Aviation Administration, which regulates Boeing, and Congress to restore international confidence in the plane manufacturer after fatal crashes overseas.
Sean Duffy was confirmed Tuesday as transportation secretary, giving him a key role in helping President Donald Trump cut regulations and fix the nation’s infrastructure. The former Wisconsin congressman has promised safer Boeing planes, less regulation and help for U.S. companies developing self-driving cars -- while not giving any breaks to Elon Musk, a key player in that technology. Duffy, a 53-year-old former reality TV star, was approved with bipartisan support on a 77-22 vote in the Senate. He takes over the Department of Transportation at a crucial time at the agency, a massive employer of more than 55,000 that spends tens of billions of dollars annually, oversees the nation’s highways, railroads and airspace and sets safety standards for trains, cars and trucks.
The US Senate overwhelmingly confirmed ex-Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy as President Trump’s transportation secretary Tuesday, adding another former Fox News personality to the cabinet. Duffy, 53, cleared the upper chamber in a 77-22 vote after his nomination received the approval of all 28 members of the Senate Commerce Committee. “Sean is the right person for this job,” Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), a member of the panel, said of Trump’s nom, pointing to the ex-congressman’s success in whipping up bipartisan support for federal funding of the St. Croix Crossing, a bridge between Wisconsin and Minnesota. “Admired across the aisle, Sean worked with Democrats to clear extensive Legislative hurdles to build the largest road and bridge project in Minnesota History,” Trump said in a statement announcing his pick Nov. 18.
