The U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to confirm Elaine Chao's Secretary
of Transportation appointment by a 93-to-6 margin.
Chao's nomination, approved
without objection by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, &
Transportation a week prior, has been one of President Trump's least
controversial Cabinet choices and was not expected to generate much debate.
Sen. Bill Nelson was the only member on the Democratic side to speak prior to
the vote, and he urged his colleagues to support Chao. He spoke to her on
Monday about weekend airport chaos related to Trump's temporary
ban on immigrants from seven countries and discovered no one in the
administration had consulted her before or after the executive order.
"What about lost tickets, getting refunds for
passengers and changing flight crews that might cause extra expenses? These are
all items a secretary of transportation would be concerned with going
forward," Nelson said. "We need Secretary Chao as someone who has the
experience, who has common sense and who will be in a position to offer
level-headed, good, experience-based advice to the government going
forward."
Republican Sen. John Thune—chairman of the Senate Committee
on Commerce, Science, & Transportation—said he looked forward to working
with Chao on infrastructure improvement, FAA reauthorization and adaptation to
emerging technologies, including driverless vehicles. He added, "It would
be hard to come up with a more qualified nominee than Secretary Chao for this
important role."
Chao comes aboard with Cabinet experience,
including leading the Department of Labor for eight years under President
George W. Bush and serving as deputy secretary of transportation under
President George H.W. Bush. Nelson also called her "a part of the Senate
family," as wife to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, who
voted present.
Senate
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Independent Bernie Sanders and Democrats Cory
Booker, Kirsten Gillibrand, Jeff Merkley and Elizabeth Warren voted against
Chao's nomination.