Chao Swears In as DOT Secretary

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence swore in Elaine Chao as Secretary of Transportation during a ceremony yesterday at the Eisenhower Executive Office in Washington, D.C., just hours after the Senate confirmed her nomination. Chao, who formerly served as deputy secretary of transportation under President George H. W. Bush, tweeted shortly after her swearing in that “it is an honor to rejoin the extraordinary people of [the U.S. DOT] and begin working to rebuild America's infrastructure.” She also issued a statement calling infrastructure “the backbone of our economy,” detailing the need to rebuild it and address new technologies such as unmanned aerial systems and autonomous vehicles.

Senate Commerce Committee chairman John Thune (R-South Dakota) yesterday praised Chao’s “unwavering commitment to public service” and said she has the bipartisan backing of the Senate. Chao’s confirmation was also welcomed by general aviation groups yesterday. NBAA praised the Senate “for moving in a timely fashion to consider her nomination, and confirm her as secretary,” noting that transportation infrastructure investment is a top priority.

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) added, “I look forward to getting to work with her, the new administration, and my colleagues in Congress on the many issues before the Committee this year, including critical FAA reforms and smart, responsible investments in our nation’s infrastructure network.”