Senator Murray Statement on Meeting with DOT Secretary Nominee Sean Duffy

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after meeting with Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT):

"I'm glad I could meet with Mr. Duffy today and discuss my priorities when it comes to our nation's transportation system and transit infrastructure. Washington state has benefitted in a major way from our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and the vast array of federal infrastructure programs I help fund each year through the regular appropriations process. I will be keeping a close eye to make sure Mr. Duffy faithfully executes the law and delivers the resources communities across Washington state are counting on for everything from building bridges to expanding our public transit.

"There are massive infrastructure investments in my state with huge economic benefits that depend on DOT meeting its legal obligations, including the I-5 Bridge Replacement Project that is a huge deal for folks in Southwest Washington and the entire Pacific Northwest economy.

"It is critical that we have a Secretary of Transportation who will follow the law and work productively with senators on both sides of the aisle on the transportation needs and challenges our states are facing.

"We also spoke about aviation safety and working together to make sure FAA has the resources and staffing it needs to conduct proper oversight-including overseeing the continued implementation of Boeing's comprehensive action plan to ensure that horrifying safety lapses, like the door plug incident we saw last January, never happen again."

Senator Murray played a key role in passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as Assistant Majority Leader, and as a longtime member-and now Vice Chair-of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee and former chair of the Transportation appropriations subcommittee, Senator Murray has fought successfully over the years to boost investment in a wide range of transportation and infrastructure grant programs that benefit Washington state. Last Congress, as Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray wrote and passed the transportation appropriations bill for fiscal year 2024, which was signed into law last March. The annual legislation funds the Department of Transportation and critical grant programs that benefit Washington state enormously, including RAISE-which Senator Murray established in 2009. Senator Murray is now working to negotiate government funding bills, including the transportation funding bill, for fiscal year 2025.

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