Steven Bradbury has been confirmed as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The Senate voted 51-46 in favor of Bradbury on Tuesday, March 11. He will serve as the DOT’s second in command to Secretary Sean Duffy. Together, they aim to roll back regulations without hindering safety.
“I’d like the legacy to be that the department had achieved greater efficiency in directing the dollars to the projects of most national importance for the American people,” Bradbury said during his confirmation hearing on Feb. 20. “Basically, the greatest bang for the buck for the American taxpayer in terms of infrastructure projects. We need to assess how the department exercises the discretion that Congress has given it with regard to funding programs to ensure that we are focusing our intention on safety and efficiency in those projects.”
The Trump administration has been focused on rolling back regulations. Bradbury, who served as the Department of Transportation’s general counsel during President Donald Trump’s first term, noted that efficiency and safety can be achieved simultaneously.
“Under my tenure, DOT was a leader in achieving efficiencies and very sizable regulatory cost savings for the American economy without compromising safety,” Bradbury said at the hearing.
OOIDA supports Bradbury’s confirmation
In advance of the confirmation hearing, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association wrote to the Senate committee in support of Bradbury’s nomination.
OOIDA noted Bradbury’s experience as chief counsel and applauded his role in withdrawing burdensome regulations, such as a proposal to increase minimum liability insurance for motor carriers.
“Under his leadership, we are confident the U.S. DOT will take steps to cut other overly costly and burdensome regulatory proposals,” OOIDA wrote in a letter signed by President Todd Spencer. “Most immediately, we are hopeful Mr. Bradbury will work with Secretary Duffy and officials from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to fully rescind the agency’s highly controversial speed limiter rulemaking, which is a top priority for OOIDA and our members.”
Chavez-DeRemer confirmed to lead Department of Labor
The Senate voted 67-32 to confirm Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Labor Secretary on Monday, March 10.
Chavez-DeRemer received the necessary votes despite some initial concern about her support for the PRO Act while serving as a congresswoman for Oregon. The PRO Act would utilize the ABC Test to determine if a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. It also would make it easier for workers to join a union.
Most Republicans oppose the PRO Act and ABC Test, saying that the barrier to becoming an independent contractor is too high.
Chavez-DeRemer helped secure her confirmation by pulling back her previous support of the PRO Act.
“I recognize that the bill is imperfect, and I am no longer a lawmaker,” Chavez-DeRemer said at her confirmation hearing. “If confirmed, my job will be to implement President Trump’s policy vision, and my guiding principle will be President Trump’s guiding principle: ensuring a level playing field for businesses, unions and, most importantly, the American worker.”
Department of Transportation nominations
President Donald Trump has nominated Sean McMaster to be the next administrator of the Federal Highway Administration.
The announcement of McMaster was part of a long list of nominations sent to the Senate on Tuesday, March 11. That list also included Seval Oz as being nominated as assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
McMaster previously worked as the U.S. DOT’s deputy chief of staff during the previous Trump administration.
Oz, who worked with executive board at Pioneer Electronics and MicroVision, will be assuming a new position in the Department of Transportation. Although the nature of the role has not been announced, Oz possesses experience in the field of autonomous vehicle technology. LL
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