Thune signaled the potential for high-profile DOT nominees to look earlier than the transportation panels as early as this month. (Allison Robbert/Bloomberg Information)
[Stay on top of transportation news: Get TTNews in your inbox.]
Members of Congress return to Washington the week of March 24 to contemplate senior officers for Division of Transportation companies and President Donald Trump’s finances and tax plan.
Senate Majority Chief John Thune (R-S.D.) signaled the potential for high-profile DOT nominees to look earlier than the transportation panels as early as this month. A vote to verify them would align with the Republican caucus’ goal of swiftly confirming Trump administration personnel.
Sean McMaster and Bryan Bedford, nominees to guide the Federal Freeway Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration, respectively, are awaiting hearings at committees of jurisdiction.
The president this month nominated McMaster for the highest position on the company overseeing floor transportation rules. The nominee served as a senior DOT official throughout Trump’s first time period. Earlier than that, he was a longtime congressional aide.
Central to FHWA’s agenda over the approaching years shall be rulemaking particular to autonomous autos and rising applied sciences. The Biden-era $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure regulation paved the best way for increasing entry to related car applied sciences alongside freight corridors.
Bedford, presently head of Republic Airways, was tapped to guide the nation’s aviation equipment. With greater than three many years of expertise within the trade, senior transportation policymakers touted his credentials.
“As a pilot and somebody with many years of firsthand expertise within the aviation trade, Bryan is a good alternative to guide the FAA,” Home Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Troy Nehls (R-Texas) mentioned in a joint assertion March 17.
“We look ahead to working with him on modernizing and staffing our air visitors management system, guaranteeing the protection of the whole aviation system for vacationers, and strengthening this essential part of our economic system,” Graves and Nehls continued. “We are able to obtain this by implementation of the FAA Reauthorization Act in addition to extra bipartisan and decisive motion this Congress. We commend the president for nominating a candidate with an intensive background in aviation and a observe document of success, and for doing so in a well timed method in order that Congress can act swiftly to get an administrator in place at this essential time for our aviation system.”
Senate committees have but to schedule hearings on the nominees.
Democrats urged Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to rethink the continued in-depth workforce reorganizing on the division. (Rod Lamkey Jr./Related Press)
In the meantime, Democrats on the Home transportation panel proceed to lift considerations particular to DOT’s personnel updates. Led by Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), the T&I panel’s rating member, Democrats urged Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to rethink the continued in-depth workforce reorganizing on the division.
“The indiscriminate firing of probationary workers on Feb. 14 created uncertainty and pressure on DOT workers. These terminations have been carried out with none justification or notification to Congress concerning the method, the small print or the impacts,” the Democrats wrote the secretary March 12.
Additionally, Congress as early as this month plans to begin the consideration of a finances bundle meant to advance a lot of the president’s agenda. Following Congress’ approval of finances directions, Republican leaders are aiming to go Trump’s coverage proposals earlier than Memorial Day. The transportation committees are tasked with contributing to this procedural finances reconciliation, which might in the end require easy majorities for enactment.
Trump’s priorities embrace enhancing border safety and army readiness, selling reforms to social security web packages, boosting home power and transportation methods and lengthening the 2017 tax cuts superior throughout his first time period. The president defined the method to reporters March 13: “In the end, we wish to vote for one massive, lovely invoice the place we put the taxes in, we put all the things in. We’re going to have massive tax cuts. We’re going to have large incentives for firms coming into our nation and using plenty of folks.”
