[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 28 (Wednesday, March 13, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S1848]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NOMINATIONS

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I come to the floor to talk again about 
two nominees, Mr. Emil Frankel, to be Assistant Secretary of 
Transportation, and Jeffrey Shane, to be Associate Deputy Secretary of 
Transportation.
  I, again, urge the holds that are being placed on these nominations 
to move forward. It is been 3 months since they were reported 
unanimously out of the Commerce Committee.
  I know both individuals and they are highly qualified. Both of them 
are nominated for very important jobs in the Department of 
Transportation. All of us know, in light of the events of September 11, 
that these jobs are vital to America's security.
  I said earlier in my remarks that I had not put a hold on a nominee. 
What I meant to say--and I would like to correct the record at this 
time--is that I have put holds on nominees, but I have never done so 
anonymously. I have stood up and said that I had holds on nominees. On 
the holds I have put on over the years, I have been here and stated my 
reasons why. I have not done so anonymously.
  I hope the unnamed Member or Members who have a hold on Mr. Shane and 
Mr. Frankel will come forward. So, I hope, again, that the Senate will 
consider these two highly qualified nominees. If there are areas that 
are not related to these nominees, as far as transportation is 
concerned, I will be pleased to work with any Member to try to get 
those concerns satisfied.
  Again, I would like to correct the record when I stated earlier that 
I had never put a hold on a nominee. I have never anonymously put a 
hold on a nominee. And I have forced votes on other nominees as well.
  I hope the holds on Mr. Frankel and Mr. Shane will be removed soon. 
We are in danger of losing those individuals because, understandably, 
after a period of 3 months, they have to get on with their lives. And 
that certainly is understandable.
  So I hope we will move forward with their nominations soon and the 
holds will be lifted. Again, I stand ready to work with any Member who 
has a hold on their nominations if there is any way we can resolve any 
problems that they might have.
  I also state that I never put a hold on a nominee because there was 
some unrelated issue. I put holds on nominees in the past because I did 
not think they were qualified, and I stated so.
  So I hope that clarifies the record on that. But that does not 
detract from the fact--whether I ever did or did not--that these are 
two qualified nominees. It has now been over 3 months since they were 
reported out of the Commerce Committee and they deserve to have the 
opportunity to serve.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Mexico.

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