Pete Buttigieg, the former Democratic presidential candidate and mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the secretary of transportation.
The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA), Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) and American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) each expressed congratulations and optimism towards working with the new administration.
“On behalf of the members of the National Asphalt Pavement Association, I want to extend our congratulations to Secretary Buttigieg on the bipartisan vote that confirmed his nomination as our nation’s 18th Secretary of Transportation,” says Audrey Copeland, president and CEO of NAPA. “We believe Secretary Buttigieg will bring bold ideas and efforts to modernize our transportation system and, especially, the desire for world-class, drivable highways to the Department of Transportation.
“We look forward to working with Secretary Buttigieg and his team to pass a surface transportation authorization bill that ensures our highways, roads and bridges are safe, efficient, accessible, environmentally friendly and meet the needs of the American people,” Copeland adds.
Brian McGuire, president of the AED, also applauded Buttigieg’s confirmation as transportation secretary.
“AED congratulates Pete Buttigieg on his confirmation to serve as President Biden’s Transportation Secretary,” McGuire says. “The hard work starts immediately, as Secretary Buttigieg inherits a neglected transportation infrastructure and a highway trust that’s on the verge of insolvency. I’m confident that with Secretary Buttigieg’s leadership and President Biden’s bold infrastructure vision, these enduring issues will be addressed and America’s transportation infrastructure will once again be the envy of the world.
“There is no better way to create jobs and economic opportunity across the country than investing in rebuilding the United States’ dilapidated infrastructure,” McGuire adds. “Our leaders can’t continue to sit by and watch our nation’s infrastructure crumble, putting off tough decisions for the next generation. AED looks forward to working with the president, Secretary Buttigieg and congressional leaders to create a sustainable and impactful recovery that ensures economic security, stability and prosperity for all Americans.”
AASHTO executive director Jim Tymon also weighed in on Buttigieg’s confirmation.
“Congratulations to Secretary Buttigieg on his confirmation,” says Jim Tymon, executive director of AASHTO. “The nation faces a number of tremendous challenges and we know transportation will play a key role in building America back. AASHTO believes the work being done in transportation should endeavor to improve quality of life for all Americans. State DOTs look forward to working with Secretary Buttigieg to make that happen by improving safety; building a more resilient transportation system; and, supporting modally diverse options for people and their communities.”