[ad_1]
His reception at Thursday’s hearing suggests an easy route to confirmation, with the committee’s senior Republican, Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, saying he is “quite certain that he will be confirmed.” More GOP applause followed, including Senator Todd Young of Indiana who said he “respects” the candidate from his home state.
“You set up a clinic to find out how a candidate should… act,” said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.). “You didn’t avoid the questions. You were simple. And you know what you’re talking about.
“It’s really refreshing,” Tester added.
Buttigieg’s first outing in the Senate can be seen as the kick-off of a potential future presidential race, which will take place against the backdrop of virtually everything he does as a member of President Joe Biden’s cabinet. . And while most Americans view the DOT as a sleeping agency, it will enjoy greater visibility under Biden, who has vowed to elevate climate concerns among all arms of government.
Despite his warm welcome, Buttigieg ended up tripping over the perpetual political mine of the federal gasoline tax. Congress has not increased the tax since 1993, resulting in growing deficits in the Highway Trust Fund that lawmakers have had to fill with deficit spending.
During the hearing, when asked how to finance American infrastructure, Buttigieg said that “all options must be on the table” – although he added that with the spread of electric and fuel-efficient cars, “sooner or later, we will wonder if the gas tax can be effective. “
Afterwards, a spokesperson for Buttigieg told reporters that while “a variety of options are to be on the table … the increase in the gasoline tax is not one of them.”
Speaking of climate change, Buttigieg said DOT had “a big role” to play in Biden’s “whole-of-government approach” to slow his progress, adding: “this is our chance” to avoid a climate crisis ” before it’s too late”. He easily discussed the need for strict fuel economy standards and expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, which Biden wants to bolster by building 500,000 charging stations.
Even her former rival for the Democratic primary, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Received a warm welcome for Buttigieg, including alluding to the fact that they and their husbands would soon be having dinner together.
“John and I look forward to seeing you and Chasten in a less formal setting outside of this courtroom,” she said.
Buttigieg spoke without any obvious confidence over the notes on obscure DOT grant programs, safety statistics and current trends and transportation legislation, flaunting the studiousness that marked his presidential bid and garnering praise senators.
Wicker emphasized his studies at Harvard and Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar and praised his “impressive credentials” and “intellect”.
The audience drew some sour notes, mostly on climate issues, particularly related to Biden’s decision to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline, which Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) said “took thousands union workers unemployed from day one. . “
Without disputing the details of the Keystone pipeline itself, Buttigieg insisted he was “a big fan of the construction trades” and that Biden’s climate plan will create “more well-paying union jobs”.
When Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) grilled it on Keystone, Buttigieg’s response was based on the notion of political legacy, saying the history books will judge lawmakers on “whether we have done enough to stop the destruction of lives and property due to climate change”.
Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) Also asked Buttigieg about the Green New Deal, which Buttigieg supported during the Democratic presidential primary. Buttigieg noted that Biden, not him, won the election and that it would be Biden’s climate vision that moved forward.
He comes into office with a much higher profile than any other Department of Transportation candidate, with a dedicated fan base of Twitter followers who hold on to his every word and study transportation policy. After her hearing, members of #TeamPete tweeted: “we love our cheesy politics“and”the world is tilting [sic] why we love Pete so much. “
This is a dynamic that did not escape the senators responsible for validating his appointment on Thursday. Wicker teased Buttigieg about his recent string of TV appearances, saying, “You were on The Tonight Show last night with Jimmy Fallon, and you were on the Morning Joe show this morning. In terms of exciting experiences, how does being before this committee compare?
“I would describe it as a once in a lifetime experience,” Buttigieg replied.
[ad_2]
Source link