Ray LaHood sworn in as secretary of transportation

Ray LaHood, second from left, is sworn in as Transportation Secretary Friday during a ceremony at the Transportation Department in Washington. From left are, his son Sam, LaHood, his wife Kathy, Linda Washington, assistant secretary for Administration, and Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill. (Associated Press/Department of Transportation)

By LYNDON FINNEY
The Trucker Staff

1/23/2009

WASHINGTON — Ray H. LaHood was sworn in as Secretary of Transportation Friday, just one day after being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

The ceremony was small, attended by his wife Kathy and son Sam.

Also present were fellow Illinoisan Sen. Richard J. Durbin, assistant majority leader and a small audience of LaHood's new staff and members of the Department of Transportation transition team.

The oath of office was administered by Linda Washington, assistant secretary for administration.

A ceremonial swearing-in will be scheduled at a later date, DOT officials said.

LaHood's confirmation by the full Senate came one day after the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee sent the nomination to the Senate by unanimous consent.

He is one of two Republicans in the Cabinet of President Barack Obama.

LaHood will report for his first full day of work Monday.

Workmen were scheduled to repaint his office over the weekend, a source said.

While the paint may be new, one of the first big commercial vehicle issues he's likely to face won't be.

Rep. Byron Dorgan, D.-N.D., made it clear during the committee confirmation hearing Jan. 21 that he expects LaHood, a Republican, to kill the Cross Border Demonstration Project within two months.

Sources have told The Trucker that could easily be done during the continuing resolution process.

The current continuing resolution ends March 6 and in order for the government to keep operating, Congress will have to pass another continuing resolution, at which time lawmakers could include language that prohibits the DOT from expending any funds toward the program.

The program has been a source of controversy between the DOT and Congress since it was announced in early 2007 by then Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters.

Congress at one point passed legislation lawmakers thought would end the project, but DOT interpreted the law differently and continued the program, which has now been extended two additional years.

Dorgan and Rep. Peter DiFazio, D.Minn., have been the project's two most outspoken critics and have pointed to safety as the main reason they want the project ended.

They point to several reasons they believe Mexican trucks can’t operate safely on American roads.

Officials at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is charged with overseeing the pilot project, point to the clean safety record compiled during the one-year plus the program has been in operation and say Mexican trucks can operate safely on U.S. roads outside the commercial trade zone.

One new order of business LaHood will face is the naming of a new FMCSA administrator.

Both the administrator and deputy administrator are political appointees and sources have told The Trucker that Obama will likely have a strong say in who is named to those positions.

The agency is currently under the leadership of Rose McMurray, chief safety officer and assistant administrator, who is a career employee at FMCSA.

McMurray was named acting deputy administrator effective at noon last Tuesday.

Lyndon Finney of The Trucker staff can be contacted at editor@thetrucker.com.