Former Congressman Sean Duffy – President-elect Trump’s nominee for secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation – detailed some of the key strategic themes for the agency to follow during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on January 15.
[Above photo via the Senate Commerce Committee]
Duffy – a former prosecutor who served as Wisconsin’s Ashland County District Attorney from 2002 until 2010 – is the former U.S. representative for Wisconsin’s 7th congressional district from 2011 to 2019. President-elect Trump nominated Duffy to be USDOT secretary in November 2024.
As a member of the House of Representatives, Duffy served on the Committee on Financial Services and as chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He also served on the Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises; Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit; and the Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing, and Community Opportunity.
The 10th of 11 children, Duffy was most recently co-host of “The Bottom Line” program for the Fox Business channel, as well as a contributor to Fox News. He has a marketing degree from St. Mary’s University and a juris doctor from the William Mitchell College of Law.
According to Duffy’s testimony, his key strategy focal points as USDOT secretary are safety, rebuilding U.S. transportation infrastructure, and fostering transportation efficiency and innovation.
“Safety is paramount. Every year, 40,000 lives are lost in roadway accidents,” he said. “This hits close to home—my wife survived a deadly head-on car crash, which profoundly shaped her life. If confirmed, I will prioritize road safety, ensuring lives and families aren’t forever changed by preventable accidents.”
Duffy noted that he will apply the same safety focus to the aviation sector as well. “In aviation, safety will remain the top priority,” he said. “We must modernize our systems with cutting-edge technology.”
Duffy stressed that transportation is “entering an extraordinary new era,” making the need for efficiency improvements and innovative advances all the more critical.
“From eVTOLs [electric-powered vertical take-off and landing aircraft], drones, and autonomous vehicles to space travel, we are in a global race to out-innovate the rest of the world,” he emphasized. “Transportation influences how long it takes to get home to loved ones, and improving its safety and efficiency directly enhances Americans’ lives. If confirmed, we will craft clear regulations that balance safety, innovation, and cutting-edge technology.”
That also encompasses the need to revitalize the U.S. transportation system’s physical infrastructure as well, Duffy said.
“President Trump is a builder. He has told me that this department is a top priority for him and he wants to invest in rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure,” he explained. “He asked me to focus on big, durable projects that connect our country and
people. If confirmed, I will work to reduce the red tape that slows critical infrastructure projects, ensuring funds are spent efficiently.”
Overall, Duffy stressed that as the nation’s transportation network impacts every aspect of American life – from the “efficiency and security of our ports to the ease of commuting to work, school, and church” – it must deliver the best and safest service to its users.
“Together with President Trump, this committee, and the entire USDOT team, we will usher in a golden age of travel,” Duffy noted. “This is America. Americans dream big and lead the world in innovation. As secretary of transportation, I will work tirelessly to make travel in America more efficient, comfortable, and safe. Americans deserve to have travel experiences that make us proud.”
Jim Tymon, executive director of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, expressed the organization’s “utmost support” for Duffy’s nomination as USDOT secretary in a letter to the committee.
“Given his more than eight years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives, we believe [USDOT] Secretary-designate Duffy understands how to navigate the political landscape in Washington to get things done,” Tymon said. “[That is] something that we will need in the next leader of USDOT as we begin the process of reauthorizing the federal surface transportation programs.”
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