The Senate is currently in the process of voting on the confirmation of President Donald Trump's nominee to head the Department of Transportation for the next four years. Trump has selected Sean Duffy, a former congressman, father of nine, and former news host, to serve as the secretary of transportation in his administration, praising him as a 'tremendous and well-liked public servant.'
Duffy recently underwent questioning by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and received unanimous, bipartisan support, advancing his nomination to a full Senate vote. A cloture vote held on Monday evening signaled the conclusion of debate on Duffy's nomination, leading to a final vote scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
If confirmed, Duffy will succeed Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary, who faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of transportation issues, including delays in addressing incidents like the 2023 Ohio train derailment and airline accountability for flight delays.
Lawmakers are already expressing their expectations for the new transportation head. Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah has called for the abolition of the Transportation Security Administration, while Senators Marsha Blackburn and Ted Budd emphasized the need to remember Hurricane Helene victims after a highway collapse into the Pigeon River in North Carolina.
The upcoming vote on Tuesday is part of Senate Republicans' efforts to confirm Trump's Cabinet nominees, including a recent rare Saturday vote to approve Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security.
