[Senate Hearing 117-701]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]







                                                        S. Hrg. 117-701
 
                     NOMINATION OF PETER BUTTIGIEG,
                        NOMINEE TO BE SECRETARY,
                   U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

=======================================================================

                                HEARING

                               before the

                         COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
                      SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                          UNITED STATES SENATE

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                               __________

                            JANUARY 21, 2021

                               __________

    Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                             Transportation
                             
                             
                             
                             
                             
      [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]                          
                             
                             


                Available online: http://www.govinfo.gov
                
                
                                ______

             U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
 53-057          WASHINGTON : 2023
 
             
                
                
                
                
                
       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
       
       
  
  
  
  
       
       

                    ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

                             FIRST SESSION

                   MARIA CANTWELL, Washington, Chair
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota             ROGER WICKER, Mississippi, Ranking
RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut      JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii                 ROY BLUNT, Missouri
EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts         TED CRUZ, Texas
GARY PETERS, Michigan                DEB FISCHER, Nebraska
TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin             JERRY MORAN, Kansas
TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois            DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska
JON TESTER, Montana                  MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee
KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona              TODD YOUNG, Indiana
JACKY ROSEN, Nevada                  MIKE LEE, Utah
BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico            RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin
JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado          SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West 
RAPHAEL WARNOCK, Georgia                 Virginia
                                     RICK SCOTT, Florida
                                     CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming
                    David Strickland, Staff Director
                 Melissa Porter, Deputy Staff Director
       George Greenwell, Policy Coordinator and Security Manager
                 John Keast, Republican Staff Director
            Crystal Tully, Republican Deputy Staff Director
                      Steven Wall, General Counsel
                            C O N T E N T S

                              ----------                              
                                                                   Page
Hearing held on January 21, 2021.................................     1
Statement of Senator Wicker......................................     1
Statement of Senator Cantwell....................................     2
Statement of Senator Young.......................................     4
Statement of Senator Thune.......................................    26
Statement of Senator Klobuchar...................................    28
Statement of Senator Blunt.......................................    29
Statement of Senator Blumenthal..................................    31
Statement of Senator Fischer.....................................    33
Statement of Senator Schatz......................................    34
Statement of Senator Markey......................................    36
Statement of Senator Sullivan....................................    37
Statement of Senator Peters......................................    39
Statement of Senator Blackburn...................................    41
Statement of Senator Baldwin.....................................    42
Statement of Senator Scott.......................................    44
Statement of Senator Duckworth...................................    45
Statement of Senator Lee.........................................    47
Statement of Senator Tester......................................    49
Statement of Senator Cruz........................................    51
Statement of Senator Sinema......................................    53
Statement of Senator Capito......................................    54
Statement of Senator Rosen.......................................    56

                               Witnesses

Peter Buttigieg, Nominee to be Secretary, U.S. Department of 
  Transportation.................................................     4
    Prepared statement...........................................     6
    Biographical information.....................................     7

                                Appendix

Response to written questions submitted to Peter Buttigieg by:
    Hon. Amy Klobuchar...........................................    63
    Hon. Richard Blumenthal......................................    64
    Hon. Edward Markey...........................................    66
    Hon. Gary Peters.............................................    68
    Hon. Tammy Duckworth.........................................    69
    Hon. Jon Tester..............................................    70
    Hon. Kyrsten Sinema..........................................    71
    Hon. Jacky Rosen.............................................    72
    Hon. Roger Wicker............................................    73
    Hon. John Thune..............................................    78
    Hon. Roy Blunt...............................................    79
    Hon. Deb Fischer.............................................    82
    Hon. Jerry Moran.............................................    82
    Hon. Dan Sullivan............................................    83
    Hon. Shelley Moore Capito....................................    90
    Hon. Todd Young..............................................    92
    Hon. Rick Scott..............................................    94
    Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................    95

 
                     NOMINATION OF PETER BUTTIGIEG,


 
                        NOMINEE TO BE SECRETARY,


 
                   U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

                              ----------                              


                       THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2021

                                       U.S. Senate,
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
                                                    Washington, DC.
    The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:02 a.m., in 
room SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Roger Wicker, 
Chairman of the Committee, presiding.
    Present: Senators Wicker [presiding], Thune, Blunt, Cruz, 
Fischer, Sullivan, Blackburn, Capito, Lee, Young, Scott, 
Cantwell, Klobuchar, Blumenthal. Schatz, Markey, Peters, 
Baldwin, Duckworth, Tester, Sinema, and Rosen.

            OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. ROGER WICKER, 
                 U.S. SENATOR FROM MISSISSIPPI

    The Chairman. This hearing will come to order. And because 
of the technicality that a power sharing agreement has not yet 
been signed between the Majority Leader and the Minority 
Leader, I am chairing this hearing today. And I want to thank 
Senator Cantwell for her cooperation as we move toward a 
transition, and perhaps for the next hearing, will have a 
symbolic passing of the gavel.
    But I want to convey my commitment and expectation that as 
we move forward, we will continue to work together in a 
bipartisan manner on the vital issues that come before this 
committee. In the last Congress, that bipartisan approach led 
to more than 50 public laws being enacted out of this 
committee. This cooperative spirit will extend to the 
confirmation process for President Biden [technical problems] 
and I am absolutely delighted today that the first of these 
nominees submitted for our consideration is Mayor Pete 
Buttigieg to be Secretary of Transportation. Mayor Buttigieg 
has impressive credentials which demonstrate his intellect and 
commitment to serving our Nation.
    As a former local elected official, he will bring a 
valuable perspective to the Department of Transportation 
regarding the transportation infrastructure needs and 
challenges of towns and cities throughout our country. His 
educational background as a Harvard graduate and Rhodes Scholar 
at Oxford University will serve our country well as we address 
our Nation's transportation policy priorities. I also want to 
thank him for his service as an intelligence officer in the 
U.S. Navy Reserve. Also, at this point, I want to thank 
outgoing Secretary, former Secretary of Transportation Elaine 
Chao for the professional and principled manner in which she 
has directed the Department for the past 4 years. And I salute 
her on her accomplishments as a once again a member of a 
Presidential cabinet.
    I look forward to hearing from Mayor Buttigieg today on his 
and President Biden's goals for the Department of 
Transportation should he be confirmed as Secretary, and I am 
quite certain he will be confirmed. I know this is only the 
beginning of our dialog about key matters, including 
implementation of the momentous COVID legislation passed by 
Congress, which provides assistance to key transportation 
sectors such as aviation, infrastructure investment on how to 
improve infrastructure in small towns and rural communities, 
including using financing tools such as advanced refunding or 
creating taxable infrastructure bonds, promoting transportation 
safety in coordination with State and local Governments and 
other stakeholders, further advancing transportation innovation 
including autonomous vehicles and drones, building upon our 
transportation networks including our ports, highways, and rail 
systems, including our National passenger rail system, Amtrak.
    And in that connection, addressing one of my top 
priorities, restoring Amtrak service along the Gulf Coast, 
where it was halted after Hurricane Katrina some 15 years ago. 
These issues are significant for all Mississippians and all 
Washingtonians and all Americans, and I am grateful that Mayor 
Buttigieg is here today to provide these views and I am 
grateful that he is willing to serve.
    I want to thank Mayor Buttigieg for testifying today. And 
at this point, I turn to my dear friend and colleague, the soon 
to be Chair of this Committee, Senator Cantwell.

               STATEMENT OF HON. MARIA CANTWELL, 
                  U.S. SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON

    Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And I certainly 
appreciate the great collegial working relationship that we 
have established thus far, and I look forward to growing it in 
this Congress. As you know, we were able to work together 
productively and passed landmark aviation safety legislation 
and many other pieces of legislation, including the Coast Guard 
bill that moved out of this committee and then onto other 
moving legislation and successfully implemented into law. So, 
thank you for that productivity among other legislative 
priorities. I do want to take a second, since we have both the 
members of our committee who were able to successfully pull off 
yesterday's celebration, just thank Senators Blunt and 
Klobuchar for getting us safely through yesterday and having 
the magnificent celebration that it was--.
    The Chairman. Here, here.
    Senator Cantwell. And look forward to working with them. 
And certainly, want to, again, thank, as you mentioned, 
Secretary Chao for her work on many transportation priorities. 
I think this committee is a hallmark of bipartisan cooperation. 
A lot of the subjects we deal with are just hard problems to 
solve. And we have been able to continue to work together in a 
bipartisan fashion so I hope that will continue. And I think 
transportation, of all the sectors that we deal with, 
transportation should be one of those which we should be able 
to use facts and information and come together on priorities. 
So, I am very excited that the President has nominated Mayor 
Pete Buttigieg to run the Transportation agency, and I look 
forward to his vision in leading that Department of 
Transportation.
    As a Mayor, I know you are no stranger to the challenges 
that a region faces on transportation infrastructure issues. I 
know that you are National recognition for your Smart Streets 
project that created a safe environment for all road users. The 
project resulted in over $100 million in private sector 
investment. You used your experience as Mayor to help forge 
that, and I hope that you will do that for communities across 
the United States of America. For us in the State of 
Washington, we are a big export state. Not only do we export 
our own products, so everything from cherries and wheat and 
apples and airplanes, but we also are a big pass through for 
many of the Midwest agricultural products reaching Asian 
destinations.
    So, to say that we need infrastructure investment is an 
understatement. The growth of the Pacific and the demand for 
U.S. products is a good problem to have. We just need to deal 
with the bottlenecks. And congestion in Puget Sound is at 
record levels. We need to address projects like the I-5 
Columbia River Bridge replacement, the West Seattle Bridge 
replacement, the North South Corridor in Spokane. And we need 
to make infrastructure investment all around the United States 
of America, including in public transportation. Projects like 
sound transit are facing a $1 billion shortfall as a result of 
COVID-19, which jeopardizes the much-needed investment 
throughout Puget Sound. Today marks the 1-year anniversary of 
the first case of the COVID pandemic with a man from Everett, 
Washington being tested positive. One of the most impacted 
sectors in the United States, not the only sector, but one of 
the most impacted sectors in the United States has been 
transportation. The Chairman alluded to the fact that this 
committee played a very aggressive role in trying to come up 
with solutions for the impacts to the transportation sector, 
whether that was aviation or most recently with infrastructure 
and with Amtrak. But that will continue.
    The needs to move product and people will continue whether 
we have a COVID pandemic or not, and so I hope that you will 
help us in facing these shortfalls. I also want to point out 
that, as I mentioned, the movement of freight is particularly 
important, and we will look forward to your leadership in 
moving--improve ways to move freight around the United States. 
I continue to think that the legislation that ended up being 
INFRA Grant Program was very helpful to states across the 
United States. And I just want to mention the fact that 
aviation safety and security and the legislation that this 
committee passed and was implemented into law has to now be 
administered by the Department of Transportation and the FAA. 
So, we are going to be looking for your leadership, your 
success, and holding them accountable to the many aspects of 
that legislation and helping us move forward.
    If we want to be the leaders in the United States of 
America on aviation, we have to be the leaders in aviation 
safety as well. So, we will look for your leadership on that. 
So, Mr. Chairman, I am excited about this nominee's ability to 
help us focus on transportation issues and look forward to 
seeing his leadership at the Department. Thank you.
    The Chairman. Thank you very much, Senator Klobuchar. And 
at this point, it is my pleasure to recognize our distinguished 
colleague from the State of Indiana, a member of this 
committee, Senator Young, to introduce our witness.

                 STATEMENT OF HON. TODD YOUNG, 
                   U.S. SENATOR FROM INDIANA

    Senator Young. Well, hello, Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member 
Cantwell, members of the Committee. It is my distinct pleasure 
to introduce a fellow Hoosier as President Biden's nominee for 
Secretary of Transportation, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Pete and I 
have known one another for a number of years. He is a 
professional friend and colleague and someone for whom I have a 
great deal of respect. On the off chance that members of this 
committee were not paying attention during the 2020 
Presidential Democratic primaries, I will quickly recap Mayor 
Buttigieg's background. He was born in South Bend, Indiana, 
where he went on to serve as Mayor for two terms from 2012 to 
2020.
    And as Mayor, he invested in important infrastructure 
improvements and facilitated public/private partnerships that 
made those dollars go much further. Indiana has long been a 
leader in these public/private partnerships, a model that will 
be very important for future infrastructure investments. Mayor 
Buttigieg was also a supporter of the South Shore Double Track 
Project, whose full funding grant agreement was signed earlier 
this month. Like many State and local projects, the Department 
of Transportation awards funding toward the South Shore Double 
Track required remarkable coordination between Federal, State, 
and local leaders to make the project a reality and to get it 
across the finish line.
    While Mayor, he also served our country as a United States 
Navy reservist, from 2009 to 2017, including a deployment to 
Afghanistan in 2014. He is a graduate of Harvard College 2004 
and he attended Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship. Transportation 
is a vital sector to the Hoosier State. We are in the top 10 
states when it comes to railroad mileage. We have world class 
airport, 66 public transit systems, 3 ports, and our state 
motto is, ``the crossroads of America.''
    I have traveled tens of thousands of miles on those roads 
and I know Pete has as well. If Mayor Buttigieg is confirmed, 
and I believe he will be, I hope he will be, I look forward to 
working with him and my colleagues here on this committee to 
maintain and improve the infrastructure that drives the 
American economy. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
    The Chairman. Thank you very, very much, Senator Young. And 
Mr. Mayor, you are recognized for your opening statement. 
Delighted to have you.

  STATEMENT OF PETER BUTTIGIEG, NOMINEE TO BE SECRETARY, U.S. 
                  DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

    Mr. Buttigieg. [Technical problems]--Cantwell, members of 
the Committee, it is a real honor to be able to appear before 
you as nominee for Secretary of Transportation. And let me 
begin just first by thanking my home state Senator Young for 
your kind introduction, for your service to our shared home 
state and to our country, and to your attention to South Bend 
during the time that I was Mayor. Thank you. I want to thank 
President Biden for trusting me with this nomination. And I 
would like to take a moment to introduce my husband, Chasten 
Buttigieg, who is here with me today. I am really proud to have 
him by my side. I also want to take this chance to thank him 
for his many sacrifices and his support in making it possible 
for me to pursue public service.
    Today, I hope to present to you my goals for the Department 
of Transportation, to share a little bit about myself, and, of 
course, to hear from you about your priorities for the 
Department, the issues that you consider important for your 
constituents and for our country. First and foremost, I want 
you to know that if confirmed, I will work every day to make 
sure the Department meets its mission of ensuring safety, 
safety for both travelers and for workers, and I look forward 
to working closely with Congress to do so. Safety is the 
foundation of the Department's mission, and that takes on new 
meaning amid this pandemic. We have to ensure that all of our 
transportation systems, our aviation and public transit, our 
railways, roads, ports, our waterways and pipelines, all of it 
is managed safely in this critical period as we work to defeat 
the virus for good.
    We also have a lot of work to do to improve the 
infrastructure in this country, a mission that will not only 
keep more people safe but will grow our economy as we look to 
the future. Now is the time and I believe we have a real chance 
to deliver for the American people. We need to build our 
economy back, better than ever, and the Department of 
Transportation can play a central role in this by implementing 
President Biden's infrastructure vision, by creating millions 
of good paying jobs, revitalizing communities that have been 
left behind, enabling American small businesses, workers, 
families, and farmers to compete and win in the global economy, 
and tackling the climate crisis.
    Infrastructure can be the cornerstone to all of this, and 
you have my commitment that I will work closely with you to 
deliver the innovation and the growth that America needs in 
this area. As a Mayor from the industrial Midwest, I will bring 
a bottom-up perspective on transportation programs and funding. 
If confirmed, I am looking forward to working with our partners 
at the State, local, territorial and tribal levels as well to 
find solutions to our infrastructure issues while we also 
prepare for the future of transportation at a time of great 
change. When I took office as Mayor of South Bend, a city built 
by the power of American transportation, we had been hit so 
hard by economic loss that some in the National press listed us 
as one of America's dying cities. As our city fought its way 
out of the teeth of the Great Recession, infrastructure was at 
the heart of our vision for a better future.
    As Mayor, I worked with public and private partners to 
launch a Smart Streets initiative that brought new life to our 
urban core and to the historically underserved West side of our 
city, revitalizing our downtown, redesigning streets, and 
spurring hundreds of millions in major economic investment. I 
worked with regional and State partners and across the aisle to 
support enhancements to our intercity train system that Senator 
Young mentioned, the South Shore Line, and our now 
international airport, as we pioneered public, private 
partnerships at the same time, like Commuters Trust, the 
benefits program to improve the city's transportation 
experience for workers. We got results by bringing people in, 
engaging stakeholders and residents, prioritizing limited funds 
effectively, and unlocking new resources to solve problems.
    And that is how I will approach the Department of 
Transportation if confirmed. I believe good transportation 
policy can play no lesser role than making possible the 
American dream, getting people and goods to where they need to 
be directly and indirectly creating good paying jobs. But I 
also recognize that at their worst, misguided policies and 
missed opportunities in transportation can reinforce racial and 
economic inequality by dividing or isolating neighborhoods and 
undermining Government's basic role of empowering Americans to 
thrive. So much is at stake today and so much is possible as 
our country works to emerge from the crises of this moment with 
bipartisan appetite for a generational opportunity to transform 
and improve America's infrastructure.
    So, the chance to lead this Department at this historic 
moment is not one that I take lightly. And if confirmed, I 
promise to bring the same sense of duty and commitment that led 
me to serve my hometown as Mayor and that motivated me to serve 
our country in the Navy Reserve.
    To conclude, Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member, Cantwell, 
members of the Committee, I am eager to get to work, and if 
confirmed, look forward to partnering with this committee and 
with Congress. And I look forward to your questions now.
    [The prepared statement and biographical information of Mr. 
Buttigieg follow:]

    Prepared Statement of Peter Buttigieg, Nominee to be Secretary, 
                   U.S. Department of Transportation
    Chairman Wicker, Ranking Member Cantwell, Members of the Committee, 
it's an honor for me to appear before you as the nominee for the United 
States Secretary of Transportation. I want to first say thank you to my 
home state senator, Todd Young, for his kind introduction today and for 
his service to Indiana. I want to thank President Biden for trusting me 
with this nomination. And I also want to take a moment to introduce my 
husband, Chasten Buttigieg, who is here with me today.
    I'm proud to have him by my side, and I want to thank him for his 
many sacrifices and his support in making it possible for me to pursue 
public service.
    Today I hope to present to you my goals for the Department of 
Transportation, to share a little about myself, and of course to hear 
from you about your priorities and the issues you consider most 
important to your constituents and to our country.
    First and foremost, I want you to know that if confirmed, I will 
work every day to ensure that the Department meets its mission of 
ensuring safety for both travelers and workers--and I will work closely 
with Congress to do so.
    Safety is the foundation of the department's mission, and it takes 
on new meaning amid this pandemic. We must ensure all of our 
transportation systems--from aviation to public transit, to our 
railways, roads, ports, waterways, and pipelines--are managed safely 
during this critical period, as we work to defeat the virus.
    We also have a lot of work to do to improve the infrastructure in 
this country, a mission that will not only keep more people safe, but 
also grow our economy as we look to the future.
    Now is the time, and we have a real chance to deliver for the 
American people. We need to build our economy back, better than ever, 
and the Department of Transportation can play a central role in this, 
by implementing President Biden's infrastructure vision--creating 
millions of good-paying jobs, revitalizing communities that have been 
left behind, enabling American small businesses, workers, families and 
farmers to compete and win in the global economy, and tackling the 
climate crisis.
    Infrastructure can be the cornerstone to all of this, and you have 
my commitment that I will work closely with you to deliver the 
innovation and growth that America needs in this area.
    As a mayor from the industrial midwest, I will bring a bottom-up 
perspective on transportation programs and funding. If confirmed, I 
look forward to working with our partners at the state, local, 
territorial, and tribal levels to find solutions to our infrastructure 
issues while we also prepare for the future of transportation at a time 
of great change.
    When I took office as the mayor of South Bend--a city that was 
built by the power of American transportation--we had been hit so hard 
by economic loss that some in the national press listed us as one of 
America's ``dying cities.'' As our city fought its way out of the teeth 
of the Great Recession, infrastructure was at the heart of our vision 
for a better future.
    As Mayor, I worked with public and private partners to launch a 
``Smart Streets'' initiative that brought new life to our urban core 
and to the historically underserved West Side, revitalizing the 
downtown, redesigning streets, and spurring hundreds of millions in 
major economic investment. I worked with regional and state partners--
and across the aisle--to support enhancements to our inter-city train 
system and our now-international airport, and we pioneered public-
private partnerships like Commuters Trust, a benefits program to 
improve the city's transportation experience for workers.
    We achieved results by bringing people in, engaging stakeholders 
and residents, prioritizing limited funds effectively, and unlocking 
new resources to solve problems. And that's how I will approach the 
Department of Transportation, if confirmed.
    I believe that good transportation policy can play no less a role 
than making possible the American Dream, getting people and goods to 
where they need to be, directly and indirectly creating good-paying 
jobs. But I also recognize that at their worst, misguided policies and 
missed opportunities in transportation can reinforce racial and 
economic inequality, by dividing or isolating neighborhoods and 
undermining government's basic role of empowering Americans to thrive.
    So much is at stake today--and so much is possible, as our country 
works to emerge from the crises of the moment, with bipartisan appetite 
for a generational opportunity to transform and improve America's 
infrastructure.
    The chance to lead this department at this historic moment is not 
one that I take lightly, and if confirmed, I promise to bring the same 
sense of duty and commitment that led me to serve my hometown as mayor 
and that motivated me to serve our country in the Navy Reserve.
    To conclude, Chairman Wicker and Ranking Member Cantwell, I am 
eager to get to work, and if confirmed I look forward to partnering 
with this committee and with Congress--and I look forward to your 
questions now.
    Thank you.
                                 ______
                                 
                      a. biographical information
    1. Name (Include any former names or nicknames used): Peter Paul 
Montgomery Buttigieg.
    2. Position to which nominated: Secretary of Transportation.
    3. Date of Nomination: No official nomination yet (most likely the 
20th).
    4. Address (List current place of residence and office addresses):

        Residence: Information not released to the public.
        Office: Information not provided.

    5. Date and Place of Birth: January 19, 1982; South Bend, Indiana.
    6. Provide the name, position, and place of employment for your 
spouse (if married) and the names and ages of your children (including 
stepchildren and children by a previous marriage).

        Spouse: Chasten James Glezman
        Occupation: Self-employed (author)
        (No children or stepchildren)

    7. List all college and graduate degrees. Provide year and school 
attended.

        BA, OXFORD UNIVERSITY, 2007

   Rhodes Scholar

   Honors BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

        BA, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, 2004

   Honors AB in History and Literature (American Studies)

   Language citation in Arabic

    8. List all post-undergraduate employment, and highlight all 
management-level jobs held and any non-managerial jobs that relate to 
the position for which you are nominated.

        UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME--Faculty Fellow

        THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA--Mayor

        UNITED STATES NAVY RESERVE--Intelligence Officer

        MCKINSEY & COMPANY--Associate

        THE COHEN GROUP--Conference Coordinator, The Leaders Project

        KERRY-EDWARDS CAMPAIGN--Research Director, Arizona Democratic 
        Party

    9. Attach a copy of your resume.
    In A.9 Attachment 1
    10. List any advisory, consultative, honorary, or other part-time 
service or positions with Federal, State, or local governments, other 
than those listed above, within the last ten years. None.
    11. List all positions held as an officer, director, trustee, 
partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any 
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business, enterprise, 
educational, or other institution within the last ten years.
PB Projects, Inc.
        Dates: July 2020-Present

        Nature of Membership: Managing Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Managing member and sole 
        shareholder of PB Projects, Inc., which is a pass-through S-
        Corporation established to receive fees from my intellectual 
        property.

    12. Please list each membership you have had during the past ten 
years or currently hold with any civic, social, charitable, 
educational, political, professional, fraternal, benevolent or 
religiously affiliated organization, private club, or other membership 
organization. (For this question, you do not have to list your 
religious affiliation or membership in a religious house of worship or 
institution.). Include dates of membership and any positions you have 
held with any organization. Please note whether any such club or 
organization restricts membership on the basis of sex, race, color, 
religion, national origin, age, or disability.
Democratic Candidate for Mayor of South Bend, Indiana
        Dates: January 2011-November 2011

        Nature of Membership: Candidate

        Responsibilities and Activities: Ran and won for my first term 
        as Mayor of South Bend
Accelerate Indiana's Municipalities (AIM)
        Dates: January 2012-December 2019

        Nature of Membership: Board Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served on Board
Northern Indiana Mayors Roundtable
        Dates: January 2012-December 2019

        Nature of Membership: Member, Officer

        Responsibilities and Activities: Attended occasional meetings 
        of mayors from this region of Indiana, served for one year as 
        treasurer and one year as president.
Indiana Urban Mayors Caucus
        Dates: January 2012-December 2019

        Nature of Membership: Member, Officer

        Responsibilities and Activities: Conducted policy and advocacy 
        work on behalf of mayors of Indiana's larger cities. Served one 
        year as president.
South Bend NAACP
        Dates: May 2012-present

        Nature of Membership: Subscribing Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Dues-Paying Member
South Bend Educational Foundation
        Dates: January 2013-December 2018

        Nature of Membership: Board Member ex officio

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served on Board
South Bend Symphony Orchestra
        Dates: November 2013-December 2019

        Nature of Membership: Board Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served on Board
Truman National Security Project
        Dates: January 2014-January 2019

        Nature of Membership: Member of the Board of Advisors

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served on Board of Advisors
Democratic Candidate for Mayor of South Bend, Indiana
        Dates: January 2015-November 2015

        Nature of Membership: Candidate

        Responsibilities and Activities: Ran and won for my second term 
        as Mayor of South Bend
U.S. Conference of Mayors
        Dates: January 2012-December 2019

        Nature of Membership: Advisory Board Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served on the Advisory Board 
        and served as founding chair of its Task Force on Automation.
Democratic Candidate for Democratic National Committee Chair
        Dates: January 2017-February 2017

        Nature of Membership: Candidate

        Responsibilities and Activities: Ran and lost the race for 
        Chair of the Democratic National Committee
Hitting Home PAC
        Dates: June 2017-May 2019

        Nature of Membership: Founder

        Responsibilities and Activities: Launched a 527 organization in 
        order to support candidates across the country
Accelerator for America
        Dates: November 2017-January 2019

        Nature of Membership: Advisory Council Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served on the Advisory 
        Council, hosted events and attended discussions of policy work.
Veterans Community Connections
        Dates: May 2018-March 2019

        Nature of Membership: Board Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served on Board
Democratic Candidate for President of the United States
        Dates: April 2019-March 2020

        Nature of Membership: Candidate

        Responsibilities and Activities: Ran for President of the 
        United States
Veterans of Foreign Wars
        Dates: June 2019-Present

        Nature of Membership: Paid Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: No Duties
Win the Era PAC and Action Fund
        Dates: April 2020-December 2020

        Nature of Membership: Founde

        Responsibilities and Activities: Launched Political Action 
        Committee (PAC) and 501(c)4 organization in order to support 
        causes and candidates across the country. (2020)
Pandemic Resilience Working Group for America's Mayors
        Dates: June 2020-December 2020

        Nature of Membership: Former Co-Chair, current Member

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served as co-chair with Mayor 
        Steve Benjamin, collaborating with mayors on helping our cities 
        stem the spread of the coronavirus
Transition Advisory Board (PT Fund, Inc.)
        Dates: September 2020-Present

        Nature of Membership: Member of the Advisory Board

        Responsibilities and Activities: Served as a member of the 
        Biden Transition team's Advisory Board

    13. Have you ever been a candidate for and/or held a public office 
(elected, non-elected, or appointed)? If so, indicate whether any 
campaign has any outstanding debt, the amount, and whether you are 
personally liable for that debt.
    Yes, I have been a candidate for the elected offices of Indiana 
State Treasurer, Mayor of South Bend, DNC Chair and President of the 
United States. There are no outstanding debts for any of my campaigns 
or public office.
    14. List all memberships and offices held with and services 
rendered to, whether compensated or not, any political party or 
election committee within the past ten years. If you have held a paid 
position or served in a formal or official advisory position (whether 
compensated or not) in a political campaign within the past ten years, 
identify the particulars of the campaign, including the candidate, year 
of the campaign, and your title and responsibilities.
    Answer. As Mayor of South Bend, I led the transformation of a city 
that was characterized by some in the press as ``one of America's top 
ten dying cities'' onto a different and positive trajectory. My team 
attracted hundreds of millions in private investment to downtown South 
Bend and gained national recognition for many of our initiatives, 
including our Smart Streets initiative. As a mayor overseeing a budget 
of hundreds of millions of dollars a year, and a city with departments 
offering a variety of services to its residents, I saw the impact of 
the Federal government's decisions on local municipalities. I also 
experienced firsthand how important it was to put strong experts in 
their field, leaders and managers in positions of influence and power, 
and rely on the knowledge and expertise of those people in running the 
organization. I was accustomed to being held accountable by residents 
of South Bend for delivering the services that they needed and expected 
every day.
    My national engagement on these issues grew deeper when I served as 
the founding chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayors' Task Force on 
Automation, convening mayors and experts from around the country to 
evaluate the effects of automated transportation technology on the 
future of American cities. And as a candidate for President, I engaged 
stakeholders on the policy imperatives facing the United States when it 
comes to these issues--including safety, equity, climate, and job 
growth--and was proud to put forward one of the most detailed 
infrastructure plans in the 2020 presidential campaign. I will draw on 
these experiences, as well as the leadership lessons learned during my 
service in uniform, to guide me in setting the course of this 
department, if confirmed. Serving my country in this capacity would be 
the honor of my career, and if confirmed, I will work every day to make 
the Administration and the American people proud of our Department of 
Transportation.

    Question 2. For almost a decade, the domestic and global small 
drone industry has been dominated by Chinese company DJI. DJI was 
recently placed on the entity list for supporting human rights 
violations. DJI also presents serious cybersecurity risks, owing to its 
close relationship with the Chinese Communist Party. DJI's impact on 
domestic manufacturers has been equally concerning. According to the 
Defense Department, DJI has engaged in predatory dumping practices that 
deflated prices, decimating U.S. competitors in the past and depriving 
consumers of choice.

  a.  First, as Secretary, what steps will you take to support the 
        emerging domestic drone industry?

  b.  Second, at least until recently, DJI held a position of influence 
        on the FAA's Drone Advisory Committee and participated in other 
        DOT and FAA working groups on Remote Identification and other 
        matters. If confirmed, how will you guard against undue 
        influence from companies like DJI that are beholden to the 
        Chinese government and known to support human rights abuses?

    Answer. The main focus of the FAA is safety. I am a strong 
proponent of a regulatory framework in which the unmanned aircraft 
industry can both integrate safely into the National Aviation System 
and develop new technologies. If confirmed, I will work with the FAA on 
an integration structure that will allow for a better understanding of 
risk and unintended consequences. I will look at expanding the 
conversation to include representatives from airports, state and local 
governments, rural communities, and industry. With regards to DJI, as 
you noted, it is no longer part of the Drone Advisory Committee, and I 
look forward to working with you and other concerned Members of 
Congress on this issue, if I am confirmed.

    Question 3. Last Congress, I introduced legislation called the RIDE 
Act, with Senator Udall, which would require DOT, through National 
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to implement a timeline 
that would require blood alcohol testing technology in all new 
vehicles.

  a.  The Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety Program (DADSS) 
        has received around $50 million from Congress each year since 
        around 2008 to develop technology like this. I believe it's far 
        past time to let the private sector come up with a solution 
        that could save 9,400 lives a year. What are your thoughts on 
        this?

    Answer. If I am confirmed, safety will be my top priority at the 
Department. DADSS has the potential to save thousands of lives each 
year, and I support the use of technology and other safety initiatives 
to address impaired driving. I consider it important to engage industry 
and make use of all appropriate tools to ensure that the safest 
technologies are being employed in our transportation system.
                                 ______
                                 
  Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Marsha Blackburn to 
                            Peter Buttigieg
Autonomous Vehicles
    1. Mayor Buttigieg: There has been significant work in recent years 
related to automated vehicles. Despite attention to the issue, progress 
in advancing measures that would establish a clear framework to 
encourage and support the safe development, testing, and deployment of 
automated vehicles has been slow and inconsistent.

     Is the existing exemptions limit of 2,500 vehicles 
            sufficient to allowing the development of this industry?

     Will you support efforts by NHTSA to utilize existing 
            authority to help facilitate the advancement of autonomous 
            vehicles or examine ways to create new authorities that 
            allows for the testing and deployment of automated driving 
            systems?

    Answer. We know that autonomous vehicles are part of the future of 
this Nation's transportation infrastructure. Autonomous vehicles can 
make our transportation system safer and more efficient. If confirmed, 
I am eager to work with you and your colleagues in Congress to ensure 
that the Federal government is leading the way on ensuring safe 
autonomous vehicle operations nationwide, including examining whether 
the current exemption limits are sufficient. I would work with 
industry, American workers, safety organizations, environmental groups, 
and other stakeholders to determine how to create American jobs and 
advance American technological leadership through this industry.
Mineral Definition
    1. Mayor Buttigieg: The raw materials provided by the aggregate 
industry are necessary for virtually every public works project across 
the country, and these raw material operators adhere to various Federal 
agencies concerning the rocks they quarry.

     How would you support the need for accurate mineral 
            definitions to maintain an efficient construction supply 
            chain and deliver infrastructure projects in a timely 
            manner?

    Answer. Access to aggregates and construction materials is 
critically important for the maintenance and development of our 
infrastructure system. There are a limited number of existing aggregate 
resource sites in our Nation and we need to take coordinated efforts to 
understand how to ensure the availability and reasonable price of these 
resources without compromising our commitments to safety or 
environmental protection. If I am confirmed, I look forward to working 
with you, your colleagues, and other stakeholders to explore what 
actions can be taken to sustain our supply of aggregates.
Transportation Systems
    1 Mayor Buttigieg: Many cities have access to a wealth of 
information and data for planning purposes, but it is often siloed 
within different city departments and agencies.

     How can DOT help drive efficiencies and work to see 
            that data is adequately and safely shared between different 
            public agencies, the private sector, and stakeholders to 
            ensure delivery of better transportation systems?

    Answer. Safely sharing data is critical to creating a safe and 
inclusive transportation system. If I am confirmed, I look forward to 
working with you and our State and local officials, community 
stakeholders, and the private sector to support best practices for 
sharing data safely to deliver a safe and inclusive transportation 
system. I consider it important to work across silos and break down 
barriers to information sharing whenever this can benefit the public.
Truck Driver Shortage
    1. Mayor Buttigieg: The U.S. truck driver shortage is worsened by 
the industry's struggles to recruit new drivers.

     Will you commit to working with me to fix the 
            regulatory barriers that prevent or deter capable drivers 
            from entering the trucking workforce?

    Answer. The goal of regulation is to set standards to keep the 
public and workers safe and able to earn a fair wage. We should always 
work to ensure that such regulations are delivering on their purpose in 
a way that it is balanced with other considerations. If I am confirmed, 
I will work with you to better understand all potential workforce 
obstacles.
Drones
    1. Mayor Buttigieg: Small electric drones are becoming the tool of 
choice to inspect critical infrastructure. Utilities use drones to 
inspect power lines to find flaws before they start fires; railroads 
inspect tracks for problems that could cause derailments and delays; 
and state transportation departments inspect bridges without having 
workers rappel from dangerous heights. These operations make our 
society safer, and more efficient.

     Will you commit to working with me to fix the 
            regulatory barriers that prevent or deter capable drivers 
            from entering the trucking workforce?

    Answer. Safety is our top priority. Efforts to use technology that 
augment and enhance our workers' safety, including UAS, are of high 
interest. If confirmed, I will continue to have the FAA work with 
stakeholders and Congress on this issue.