Less than one hour ago, President-elect Joe Biden made a historic announcement, declaring that Pembroke’s own Pete Buttigieg ’05 would be joining his administration as Secretary of Transportation. Congratulations Pete!
Biden praised Buttigieg as someone who has the “vision of a next generation leader, with the experience and the temperament to lead change today.”
President-elect Biden went on to explain that scope of the work the former mayor of South Bend, IN will have ahead of him, “The Department of Transportation serves a critical mission with a critical responsibility, particularly in this administration.” Biden then conveyed that Buttigieg will be tasked with the daunting responsibilities of both revitalizing the nation’s infrastructure and addressing the effects of climate change.
While some republican pundits have questioned Buttigieg’s relative youth and experience in this realms of both transportation and “inside-the-beltway” maneuvering, Biden suggested that Buttigieg’s energy and fresh perspective were a plus that that his mayoral experience ensures that there will be a leader in the Department of Transportation who “knows how to work with state, local and federal agencies.”
Having vowed to build an administration that “looks like America”, Biden celebrated that Buttigieg was the next, important piece of his “Cabinet of barrier breakers… Cabinet of firsts”. “Our Cabinet doesn’t just have one first or just two of these firsts, but eight precedent-busting appointments — and today, a ninth,” Biden said. When confirmed, Pete Buttigieg will be the first LGBTQ person to be confirmed by the Senate to a Cabinet position.
In response to his new posting, Buttigieg said, “This is a moment of tremendous opportunity—to create jobs, meet the climate challenge, and enhance equity for all. I’m honored that the President-elect has asked me to serve our nation as Secretary of Transportation.”
Moments ago, Buttigieg tweeted, “There is no greater source of meaning in professional life than the chance to serve others. I felt it every time I laced up my boots in the military. I felt it every day serving my community as mayor. And I feel it now, joining this historic team.”
Congratulations Pete!
We’re thrilled that you’ll be captaining Transportation…and we promise to keep the “roads scholar” wisecracks to a minimum.
Well done.
To read more about this historic news event try these links for CNN and The New York Times:
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/12/16/us/joe-biden-trump
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/16/politics/biden-pete-buttigieg-event/index.html
December 16th, 2020 → 3:44 pm @ admin
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