Transportation Secretary Nominee to Go Before Senate Panel

This afternoon, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx will testify in front of the Senate Commerce Committee as part of his nomination process to become the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

The League issued a statement when he was nominated, and we look forward to hearing Mayor Foxx answer questions about his vision for transportation over the next four years. When it comes to surface transportation, we believe the Mayor has an important story to tell about how innovative transportation choices like light rail, street cars and bike share helped bring 13,000 new jobs to Charlotte, N.C.

The League was among the more than two dozen organizations that signed-on to a letter from the Transportation for America Equity Caucus to the Senate committee attesting: “We believe that Foxx’s background prepares him well to advance an agenda at the US Department of Transportation that affords all Americans the opportunity to participate and prosper.”

This hearing is also an opportunity to hear from the Senators — 13 Democrats and 11 Republicans, almost a quarter of the Senate, and five first time Senators — about what they believe are the most important transportation issues of the day.

It’s a fair bet that funding for transportation — including the Highway Trust Fund — will be a main focus of the discussion. In addition to that, I’ll be interested in hearing what Foxx, and the Senators, are thinking about in terms of our goals for the next transportation bill.

• How can we move towards zero deaths on our highways?
• If cities are the economic engines of the nation, what should the role of local decision making in transportation be? How can transportation policy address local economic development, health and quality of life issues?
• In his State of the Union Speech, President Obama announced a “fix it first” policy for transportation; what will that look like, and how will a complete streets approach be incorporated?

We’ll be watching the confirmation hearing, and listening for answers to these questions and others. Let us know what you’re listening for…