Senate Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing on Buttigieg’s Nomination for Transportation Secretary

The Senate Commerce Committee held a nomination hearing on January 21 to consider the presidential nomination of Pete Buttigieg to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). In his testimony, Buttigieg communicated his focus on improving COVID-19 safety on public transportation and addressing the need to raise revenue for the Transportation Department’s Highway Trust Fund that is used to pay for federal infrastructure projects.

During the hearing, Buttigieg said a variety of options must be on the table in terms of revenue generation, including user-based fees, such as those based on mileage. However, after the hearing, Buttigieg clarified that increasing the gas tax should not be considered in the funding discussion. On January 27, the Committee approved Buttigieg’s nomination by a 21-3 vote, and the full Senate is expected to vote to confirm Buttigieg as DOT Secretary on February 2.

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