Officials react to U.S. Secretary of Transportation nomination

Several prolific officials have publicly reacted to news that President-elect Barack Obama has nominated Rep. Ray LaHood to be the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

ARTBA President and CEO Pete Ruane said in a statement regarding LaHood’s nomination:

"The signs of transportation infrastructure decay and chronic underinvestment in America are everywhere. Anyone driving on the highway, riding on a train or flying out of an airport feels the pain and pays the price of overcrowding and delays. More than 41,000 people die on our highways every year. And the economic chokehold on businesses grows ever tighter because products are delayed by traffic gridlock.

“Given these stark realities, we believe Representative Ray LaHood is an excellent choice to be the next U.S. Secretary of Transportation. He is a thoughtful, pragmatic and effective leader. He also understands the mechanics of the federal highway, transit, rail and aviations programs after having spent six years on the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee.”

International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association Executive Director and CEO Patrick D. Jones echoed Ruane’s sentiments, saying that LaHood’s “legislative and appropriations expertise and his commitment to bipartisan consensus building will be valuable tools as America seeks to revitalize its transportation infrastructure and reform outmoded institutions, policies and funding models.

"The advent of a new presidential administration, coupled with new cabinet officers such as Rep. LaHood, offers the opportunity to establish a fundamentally new vision for transportation.

GOP Presidential candidate John Mccain also praised LaHood, saying, "He has always fought for the best interests of our nation—recognizing that bipartisan compromises often provide the best solutions to the problems facing our country. Ray LaHood's experience will be critical to forging reasonable solutions to these challenges and I trust that he will be quickly confirmed by the U.S. Senate."

Not everyone is enthusiastic about LaHood’s nomination, however. When informed of the nomination, transportation and community development coordinator at the Chicago-based Center for Neighborhood Technology Jacky Grimshaw responded, “You’ve left me totally dumbfounded. Ray LaHood?”

Grimshaw explained that she has never “seen or heard anything [LaHood has] done” with regards to mass transit since being elected in 1994 until now, including the negotiations over SAFETEA-LU four years ago.