Senate confirms Sean Duffy, a former Wisconsin congressman, for Transportation head

Valerie Yurk, CQ-Roll Call on Jan 28, 2025

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WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday approved Sean P. Duffy’s nomination to lead the Transportation Department in a 77-22 vote, marking an end to an easy confirmation process for the former Wisconsin lawmaker.

Duffy’s nomination is the first of many of President Donald Trump’s picks teed up for potential floor votes this week, including the nominations of Lee Zeldin to lead the EPA, Doug Burgum to head the Interior Department and Chris Wright to head the Energy Department.

“Sean Duffy will bring valuable experience and knowledge to the Transportation Department, and he has a proven track record of working with Republicans and Democrats to deliver good infrastructure for the people we all serve,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Monday on the floor. “I look forward to working with him in this new role.”

Duffy, a Fox News co-host when Trump tapped him for the Transportation role, had a cordial nomination process on Capitol Hill as he promised senators to work across the aisle on top transportation issues like a new surface transportation reauthorization bill, oversight over Boeing Co. and doling out 2021 infrastructure law funding.

Duffy’s first act as DOT secretary may be reviewing a litany of grant and loan programs that the Trump administration paused temporarily Monday night. According to Office of Management and Budget guidance, that will include programs like the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements grant program and the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant program.

The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee advanced his nomination last week in a 28-0 vote.

Duffy sat on the House Financial Services Committee during his time in Congress, and any input from him on transportation was confined to issues local to Wisconsin.

After leaving Congress in 2019, Duffy was a lobbyist and co-host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business, as well as a contributor on Fox News.