The Senate confirmed former Wisconsin Republican Sean Duffy as the next Transportation Secretary.
Duffy received bipartisan support with a 77-22 confirmation vote.
The big picture: During his confirmation hearing, Duffy emphasized his focus on improving aviation and highway safety, as well as addressing the shortage of air traffic controllers.
- As the head of the Department of Transportation, Duffy will have oversight of critical agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), responsible for investigating Tesla and its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software following a 2024 recall.
- Duffy committed to allowing NHTSA to conduct an impartial investigation into Tesla’s FSD software, emphasizing a commitment to data-driven decision-making and objectivity.
- He also expressed an intention to restore public trust in Boeing, which has been grappling with multiple safety incidents, by working to address concerns and ensure accountability within the aviation industry.