[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S388-S389]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                        Nomination of Sean Duffy

  Ms. BALDWIN. Madam President, I rise in support of the nomination of 
Sean Duffy to serve as our next Secretary of Transportation.
  Sean Duffy and I have known each other for many years and worked 
together in the Wisconsin delegation during our time in the House of 
Representatives.
  As a Wisconsin native, Mr. Duffy is a former Congressman who 
represented Wisconsin's Seventh Congressional District from 2011 to 
2019, and, in that time, we partnered on shared priorities for our 
constituents, including the St. Croix bridge in western Wisconsin.
  You know, during his confirmation hearing before the Commerce 
Committee, I shared this story. It usually does not take an act of 
Congress to build a bridge, but in this case, it was needed to build a 
new bridge over the St. Croix River, connecting Wisconsin to Minnesota.
  With help from Senators Klobuchar, Kohl, and Johnson, Sean Duffy and 
I, without hesitation, whipped our respective caucuses and brought 
together a House majority necessary to pass legislation to replace the 
80-year-old Stillwater Bridge. As Sean can attest, this was a decades-
long battle, which resulted in a significant bipartisan win for our 
State and our region. It was not a matter of right or left, just what 
was good for our constituents, our economy, and our State.
  Today, the St. Croix Crossing, which opened in 2017, has shortened 
traffic times, reduced congestion, and, most importantly, improved 
safety. This type of bipartisan work for the American people is what I 
expect to see from Sean Duffy as Secretary of Transportation. Our 
efforts show that when we work together, we get important things done.
  And, as I told my colleagues on the Commerce Committee about the 
nominee, we haven't always agreed, and I am certain that will continue 
to be true. I will be the first to call out any efforts to roll back 
our ``Buy America'' rules or weaken safety or increase costs or cut 
funding for critical projects like the Blatnik Bridge in my State.
  At the end of the day, I am confident that Sean Duffy is the right 
person for this job and will help deliver for Wisconsin families, 
businesses, and workers. He has committed to being a strong partner on 
strengthening ``Buy

[[Page S389]]

America'' rules, and I look forward to working with him on our upcoming 
surface transportation reauthorization. I expect that he will work with 
Members on both sides of the aisle to improve our infrastructure and 
address challenges in the years ahead.
  I urge my colleagues to support the nomination of Sean Duffy as 
Secretary of Transportation.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Oregon.