Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Transportation, is set to appear before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee on Wednesday where he will be questioned about how he plans to manage the agency, improve aviation safety and oversee the country’s infrastructure.
Mr. Duffy, 53, has a varied background, having been a Fox News host, a lawmaker from Wisconsin, a lobbyist in Washington, a district attorney and, when younger, a reality television personality. But he has little experience in transportation or managing large organizations.
If approved by the Senate, Mr. Duffy would be inheriting an agency with a budget of more than $100 billion that has been in the spotlight following a number of high-profile incidents. Last year, a cargo ship hit and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore and a series of near collisions at U.S. airports prompted new concerns about aviation safety. The year before, a hazardous freight train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, prompted calls to make the rail industry safer.
“Mr. Duffy will promote a leaner, more efficient D.O.T., eliminating onerous regulations while responsibly investing in the nation’s infrastructure and ensuring safety,” Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, the Republican who leads the Commerce Committee, was set to say in remarks prepared for the hearing.
Mr. Duffy, who served in Congress from 2011 to 2019, would be tasked with overseeing the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration.
In written remarks, Mr. Duffy stated that aviation and roadway safety would be top priorities during his tenure. He also wrote that there needed to be an increase in the number of air traffic controllers, for which there has long been chronic shortages. His remarks did not include how he would recruit and retain more controllers, as the next Republican-led administration has promised vast cuts in all sectors of government.
