The Senate is set to vote on whether to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Transportation, Sean Duffy, a former congressman, a father of nine, and a former Fox News host, who was nominated by Trump as a “tremendous and well-liked public servant.”
Duffy underwent a grueling questioning by the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, receiving unanimous, bipartisan support, and will now face a full Senate vote. The Senate is scheduled to vote on his confirmation on Tuesday afternoon.
If confirmed, Duffy will assume the position previously held by former President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, who faced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of transportation issues, including his response to the 2023 Ohio train derailment and the handling of airline delays.
Lawmakers have made suggestions about what they would like to see in the new transportation head, with Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah calling for the abolition of the Transportation Security Administration. Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., also highlighted the importance of ensuring that Hurricane Helene victims are “not forgotten” in the wake of a highway collapse in North Carolina.
This vote comes as Senate Republicans work to confirm Trump’s Cabinet nominees, having held a rare vote on Saturday to push through Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security.
