Donald Trump has nominated Fox News host and former U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation and is promising a focus on safety, efficiency and innovation.
Duffy, a Republican, represented Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District from 2011 to 2019 when he resigned. Before that, he served as the district attorney in Ashland County, Wisconsin, for eight years. He currently co-hosts The Bottom Line on Fox Business.
Industry Reaction
The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials released the statement on regarding Duffy’s nomination:
“As a former member of Congress, Sean Duffy understands how to navigate the political landscape in Washington to get things done, something that we will need in the next leader of the U.S. Department of Transportation as we begin the process of reauthorizing the federal surface transportation programs,” said Jim Tymon, AASHTO executive director. “Every state department of transportation in the country is currently hard at work improving safety and quality of life in their communities one project at a time. This is made possible through the federal-state partnership that has existed for over 100 years. We look forward to working with the Secretary-designee as well as the Trump administration to ensure the continued delivery of a safe, efficient, multimodal transportation system for all.”
Brian Turmail, vice president, Public Affairs & Workforce of Associated General Contractors of America, said in a statement to Equipment World:
“We look forward to working with the former Congressman once he is confirmed. In particular, we are eager to explore ways to accelerate the reviews needed so construction can begin on many of the transportation projects where funding has been announced but construction has been delayed by red tape. And we are eager to work with the next DOT secretary and the incoming administration to craft a more pragmatic approach to the Buy America rules.”
American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) President and CEO Dave Bauer had the following to say:
“ARTBA congratulates Rep. Sean Duffy on his pending nomination to be U.S. Secretary of Transportation. If confirmed, Rep. Duffy will be leading the Department of Transportation at a critical time, including continued deployment of record levels of federal highway, public transportation and airport infrastructure investments, and reauthorization of the surface transportation programs scheduled for 2026.
“While in Congress, Rep. Duffy worked on a number of transportation issues important to his state and region. In many of his public statements and actions, he reaffirmed the effectiveness of bipartisanship to ensure continued federal investments, and getting projects done. Rep. Duffy also stayed in regular contact with several ARTBA members in Wisconsin to better understand issues facing the transportation construction industry and its allies.
“ARTBA looks forward to partnering with Secretary-designate Duffy and the Trump administration as we work to keep Americans and our economy moving forward through an improved, safer transportation infrastructure network.”
Record in Congress
Some transportation-related bills Duffy cosponsored during his time in Congress include the following:
- Stopping EPA Overreach Act of 2015 – directed at the Environmental Protection Agency, this bill sought to exclude carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride pollution from the scope of Clean Air Act. The bill’s last action was a referral to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment in 2015.
- Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2013 – included directing the Secretary of Transportation to “establish a safe and efficient vehicle bridge infrastructure improvement program” including a requirement that the Secretary direct funds from the Safe and Efficient Vehicle Trust Fund to eligible state bridge replacement and rehabilitation projects. The bill did not make it past a referral to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
- H.Con.Res.8 (2013) – Expressed the opposition of Congress to federal efforts to establish a carbon tax on fuels for electricity and transportation.
- H.R.2426 (2011) – This stated federal agency decisions, when issuing a permit, license, or approval for a highway or public transportation capital project or when preparing supplemental environmental impact statements for projects in cases where the Secretary of Transportation considers new information received after the close the comment period, are final and not subject to judicial review. This item stalled in the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.
Equipment World’s sister publication Overdrive reported Duffy, during his time in Congress, also co-sponsored a number of trucking-related bills, such as the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2011, which would have allowed states to authorize heavier trucks to operate on interstate highways if certain conditions were met. That bill stalled at the committee level.
“Golden Age of Transportation”
In a statement on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said Duffy “will prioritize Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness and Beauty when rebuilding America’s highways, tunnels, bridges and airports. He will ensure our ports and dams serve our Economy without compromising our National Security, and he will make our skies safe again by eliminating DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] for pilots and air traffic controllers.
“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, focusing on Safety, Efficiency, and Innovation. Importantly, he will greatly elevate the Travel Experience for all Americans!”
On Twitter, Duffy said, “Thank you, Mr. President. I’m eager to help you usher in a new golden age of transportation.”
