On Jan. 28, Sean Duffy was confirmed as the 20th secretary of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) by a bipartisan vote of 77 to 22.
Duffy is a Wisconsin-native who previously represented the state’s 7th district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011-2019. During his tenure, he served as the chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations and was a member of the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises; the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; and the Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Community Opportunity. Prior to his time in Congress, Duffy was appointed as the Ashland County District Attorney in 2002 and was reelected in 2004 and 2006.
Duffy was nominated to be President Donald Trump’s USDOT Secretary by the President on Nov. 18. In a post on Truth Social announcing the nomination, Trump said Duffy will “prioritize excellence, competence, competitiveness and beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports.”
“I am deeply honored by the trust placed in me by President Trump to lead this important department and for the Senate in swiftly confirming my nomination,” Duffy said.
Duffy’s nomination hearing to become the next secretary of USDOT on Jan. 15 saw little pushback, as numerous senators, including ones from his home state, as well as Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee Chair Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), backed Duffy for the role. On Jan. 23, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation unanimously voted to advance Duffy's nomination.
According to Fox News, during the Jan. 15 hearing, Duffy stated, “No federal agency impacts Americans’ daily lives and loved ones like the Department of Transportation.”
CBS News notes Duffy focused his remarks during the hearing on safety, stating, “Transportation is an extraordinary new era we're entering in. "We're in a global race to out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world. If confirmed, we will craft clear regulations which balance safety, innovation and cutting-edge technology, but always focused on safety."
Industry reaction to Duffy’s confirmation
In a statement, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Chair Sam Graves (R-MO-6) said, “I want to congratulate Sean Duffy on his confirmation to serve as the next United States Secretary of Transportation. I am confident that under the secretary’s leadership, we can improve America’s infrastructure by focusing our investments on core projects like roads and bridges, streamlining project delivery and getting the department back to the fundamental missions of federal transportation programs – moving people and goods safely and efficiently. President Trump is a builder and a strong supporter of infrastructure, and I look forward to working closely with Secretary Duffy to help carry out the President’s vision for the nation’s transportation network as we begin efforts to craft the next surface transportation bill.”
House Committee on T&I Ranking Member Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA-2) congratulated Duffy on the nomination and emphasized how transportation and infrastructure has no political party.
“Congratulations to Secretary Sean Duffy on his confirmation as secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation by a strong, bipartisan vote,” Larsen said. “I look forward to working with Secretary Duffy in a bipartisan fashion to stem the chaos created by recent Executive Orders, bring clarity to project sponsors and to guarantee completion of infrastructure projects across the country—protecting the jobs of hardworking women and men in transportation and keeping the recent historic investments in transportation going. Supporting safe and efficient mobility and opportunity for all should not be controversial.”
American Public Transportation Association President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas released a statement on the confirmation, focusing on public transit’s economic value.
“The American Public Transportation Association, representing an $79 billion industry that directly employs 430,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs, congratulates Sean Duffy on his confirmation as United States Secretary of Transportation. We look forward to working with Secretary Duffy to ensure that America’s public transit systems remain the backbone of our urban and rural communities and a driver of economic growth and innovation. A strong and vibrant public transportation system is crucial for strengthening U.S. manufacturing jobs, both directly and indirectly. With transit equipment manufacturers and suppliers located across the U.S., our industry already supports hundreds of thousands of good-paying American jobs. Through the continued support of the Buy America program, we can ensure that the materials and components used in our nation’s public transit projects are sourced domestically, supporting American workers, fostering economic growth and creating additional job opportunities in communities across the nation,” Skoutelas said.
The U.S. High Speed Rail Association (USHSR) also congratulated Duffy on the nomination and is excited to work with the 20th secretary on high-speed rail projects across the country.
“America once led the world in massive projects such as the Transcontinental Railroad, the Interstate Highway System and the Space Program,” said USHSR President and CEO Andy Kunz. “The construction of a nationwide high-speed rail network connecting millions of Americans with 200 mph trains can be our next Moonshot. We stand ready to work with Secretary Duffy to embark on this historic mission to liberate Americans from traffic jams, turbocharge our economy and build gleaming new transportation infrastructure that is the envy of the world.”
USHSR notes a 2024 poll found that 72 percent of U.S. voters support the construction of a nationwide high-speed rail network.
“Nations around the world transport billions of people safely on state-of-the-art high-speed trains while Americans are stuck in traffic and long airport lines,” Kunz said. “The American people also have the right to a safe, efficient and modern transportation system.”
The Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), which is made up of approximately 1,300 members and represents rural, Tribal, small urban and specialized community transportation agencies across the U.S. by providing essential employment and healthcare trips daily, says it shares Duffy’s commitment to safety and innovation.
In a statement to Mass Transit magazine, CTAA said, “We look forward to supporting his efforts to streamline the regulatory burden for the nation’s small transit systems and returning the emphasis in public transit to safely and efficiently transporting the American people. CTAA will work with Secretary Duffy to uphold existing law to ensure that public transportation continues to do the critical work of connecting communities, keeping Americans safe and healthy and driving economic success by supporting the American workforce.”
Brandon Lewis | Associate Editor
Brandon Lewis is a recent graduate of Kent State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Lewis is a former freelance editorial assistant at Vehicle Service Pros in Endeavor Business Media’s Vehicle Repair Group. Lewis brings his knowledge of web managing, copyediting and SEO practices to Mass Transit Magazine as an associate editor. He is also a co-host of the Infrastructure Technology Podcast.
