Senate committee reviews nominees for key Department of Transportation roles

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Sen. Cruz - Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation | Official U.S. Senate headshot

Senate committee reviews nominees for key Department of Transportation roles

In a Senate Commerce Committee nominations hearing, Chairman Ted Cruz discussed efforts to modernize transportation regulations and safety standards. He emphasized the need for advisors at the Department of Transportation (DOT) who understand new technologies like autonomous vehicles, smart infrastructure, and AI-driven logistics.

Cruz highlighted the qualifications of three nominees for key DOT positions. Ms. Seval Oz is nominated as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology due to her experience with autonomous vehicles. Mr. Michael Rutherford is nominated as Assistant Secretary of Transportation for the Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy, given his extensive freight industry background. Mr. Gregory Zerzan is nominated as General Counsel at DOT, bringing managerial experience from both legislative and executive branches.

Senator Cruz remarked: “Today, we’ll consider three of President Trump’s nominees for key roles at the Department of Transportation: Seval Oz, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology; Michael Rutherford, nominee for Assistant Secretary of Transportation for the Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy; and Gregory Zerzan, nominee for General Counsel of DOT."

He added that transportation remains vital to global economies and highlighted the challenges faced by President Trump and Secretary Duffy in updating regulations: “President Trump and Secretary Duffy are faced with a huge undertaking...To succeed, they need advisors who understand the promise and complexity.”

Cruz described each nominee's contributions: “Ms. Oz is a pioneer in transportation technology...Mr. Rutherford’s experience with nearly every freight mode will serve him well...Finally, Mr. Zerzan brings valuable managerial experience.”

“These nominees are ready to transform the American transportation system through responsible innovation,” Cruz concluded.

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