Sen. Cruz Foresees Quick Action on DOT, Commerce Nominees

Photo Credit: Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is in line to be chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in the new Congress, has made clear that he intends to move quickly to approve President-elect Donald Trump's nominees to lead the U.S. Dept. of Transportation and the Dept. of Commerce.

Trump’s pick to lead DOT is Sean Duffy, a former congressman and an ex-county prosecutor from Wisconsin, and also a Fox Business host. The president-elect’s selection to be Commerce secretary is Howard W. Lutnick, chairman and CEO of financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald LP, and chairman of commercial real estate company Newmark Group.

Speaking on Dec. 12 at the committee’s last voting session in the 118^th Congress, Cruz called the two Cabinet choices “stellar nominees.”

He said the committee would "thoroughly vet” the selections and “swiftly confirm them." He added that he would “work to move qualified and competent nominees expeditiously.”

Cruz also signaled he may aim to hold confirmation hearings for Duffy and Lutnick before Trump is sworn in as President on Jan. 20.

Perhaps the committee's top infrastructure achievement in the present Congress was the passage of the bipartisan five-year Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill.

The measure, which was enacted on May 16, provided $19.7 billion over five years for the FAA's Airport Improvement Program grants. Of that, $3.35 billion was for fiscal year 2024 and the rest was $4 billion per year through fiscal 2028.

That $4-billion amount represents a 19% increase over the amount in the final year of the previous FAA authorization bill.

Speaking to outgoing committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Cruz said, “I can commit to you that we will continue to have a productive bipartisan relationship,” He added “It is my intention to adhere to many of the customs and practices that you have established with regard to minority rights on this committee."

Cantwell interjected, “Which ones?,” drawing laughter from attendees. Cantwell quickly added, “I’m joking.”

Cruz said, “I was sure that you’d notice that word ‘many,'” then adding, “and that will no doubt be a longer conversation.”

Tom Ichniowski has been writing about the federal government as ENR’s Washington Bureau Chief since the George H.W. Bush administration, and he has covered at least five major highway bills. A recognized expert on government policy on infrastructure and regulation, Tom is also a Baltimore native and Orioles fan who grew up rooting for Brooks and Frank Robinson. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia’s graduate school of journalism, where he once used “unrelentless” in a headline.