The U.S. Senate on Tuesday approved Pete Buttigieg as transportation secretary, confirming the former Indiana mayor for a key role in the infrastructure and climate plans of the adminisration of President Joe Biden.
The 39-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Ind., ran against President Joe Biden in the Democratic primary elections in 2020 before dropping out and later endorsing him. The Senate’s vote was 86 to 13.
Buttigieg is expected to play a major role in the administration’s push to rebuild U.S. roads and bridges
IFRA,
+1.59%,
as well as help to push the new president’s climate policies.
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In his confirmation hearing, Buttigieg pointed to a “generational opportunity” to create new jobs, fight economic inequality and stem climate change. He hinted at a broad climate-centric role for the department that will require significant investments, on top of Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan, as the Associated Press reported.
Buttigieg becomes the first openly gay person confirmed by the Senate to a cabinet position, and the second openly gay cabinet secretary, after former President Donald Trump named Richard Grenell acting director of national intelligence.
