Senate Commerce Sets Wednesday Nomination Hearing for Chao as Transportation Head

Elaine Chao, President-elect Donald Trump's choice for transportation secretary, will appear before the Senate Commerce Committee in a Wednesday nomination hearing. The 10:15 a.m. hearing will be in 253 Russell. Chao has held several other high-level federal positions, including a stint as transportation deputy secretary from 1989 to 1991 and labor secretary from 2001 to 2009. In her response to a committee questionnaire about challenges facing the department, Chao, who's married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said the nation needs to improve its critical infrastructure and decrease regulatory burdens. Trump has made infrastructure investment a priority. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation said in a recent report that physical infrastructure should be tied to technology (see 1701030029).