The new President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Elaine Chao for Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation.
The former Labour Secretary will have road vehicles, airplanes, the rail network, pipelines and ports all within her remit. Her responsibilities also include the approval and development of autonomous vehicles, drone usage and fuel efficiency standards.
Business Insider has suggested she may well take a leading role in infrastructure development projects after Trump announced his plan to spend US$1 trillion on infrastructure.
The President-elect said of his nominee: “Secretary Chao’s extensive record of strong leadership and her expertise are invaluable assets in our mission to rebuild our infrastructure in a fiscally responsible manner.
“She has an amazing life story and has helped countless Americans in her public service career. I am pleased to nominate Elaine as Secretary of the Department of Transportation.”
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Michael Sacco, president of the Seafarers International Union, said: “There is nobody better qualified to be Secretary of Transportation than Elaine Chao. Throughout her time in government, Elaine Chao has long been a steadfast friend to the SIU and to maritime labour. The industry has no better supporter than Elaine Chao, and she has stood up to defend the Jones Act, the Maritime Security Program, cargo preference and the other key programs that keep our industry alive.
“She understands the importance of providing jobs to America’s working families, and she has seen first-hand the value of the United States Merchant Marine to our nation’s defence and prosperity. We look forward to working with her again,” concluded Sacco.
PTI reported earlier in November, 2016, that President-elect Donald Trump had announced plans for his first day in office in a clip on YouTube, which takes aim at the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade deal signed by 12 countries last year.
