The Senate confirmed Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx as the replacement for Ray LaHood, who announced earlier this year he would step down from the cabinent post.
President Obama nominated Foxx in April, and the Senate was expected to confirm him. Foxx has ties to the commercial bus industry.
Representatives of Building America’s Future, an advocate for a long-term transportation infrastructure plan, echoed earlier comments that commended Foxx’s selection.
“As a former mayor, Secretary Foxx has seen firsthand how investments in our nation’s infrastructure can lead to positive and sustained improvements for our citizens and economy,” said New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is also a co-char of the organization.
Bloomberg’s co-chair, former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, echoed the sentiments.
“He has done great things to improve transportation in Charlotte, especially expanding light rail in the city. I am confident that as secretary, he will prioritize and reinvest in our infrastructure so that the U.S. remains competitive in the global economy,” said Rendell. “My hope for Mayor Foxx is that he will help move Washington out of gridlock so that our nation can take action on long-term transportation and infrastructure plans. His ability to work across the aisle will help our nation move forward.”
Meanwhile, LaHood made his formal announcement of stepping down from his post earlier this year, but not before attending the American School Bus Council’s “Love the Bus” national event in February. ASBC told School Transportation News it is a priority for the group to develop a relationship with Foxx in much the same way it did with LaHood.
“Outgoing Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has been a true friend of the school transportation industry,” read a statement from ASBC in April. “We are very grateful that he has twice participated in our ‘Love the Bus’ program and his personal and professional commitment to our “Learn the Facts – Play It Safe” project is invaluable. As a coalition of school bus industry associations and manufacturers, we hope to have a similarly strong working relationship with Mayor Anthony Foxx upon his confirmation.”
Foxx was born and raised in Charlotte before moving on to Davidson College, where he was the school’s first African-American student body president and graduated with a degree in history in 1993. He earned his law degree from New York University three years later.
After returning to Charlotte to work in a law firm, he became a clerk for Judge Nathaniel R. Jones of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati. He then worked at the U.S. Department of Justice and House Judiciary Committee.
In 2001, he returned to Charlotte to join another law firm and remained there until 2009, when he joined hybrid-electric bus manufacturer DesignLine Corporation as deputy general counsel.
Foxx also served as campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Mel Watt in 2004 and was elected to the Charlotte City Council a year later. He won re-election in 2007 and then successfully ran for mayor in 2009.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors commended President Obama for selecting Foxx, who the organization called a “natural leader.” Foxx has served on the organization’s Advisory Board, as co-chair of the Small Business and Franchising Task Force and currently as chair of the Advanced Manufacturing Task Force. He is also a member of the new Infrastructure Financing for Cities Task Force.
“As an executive, Mayor Foxx is keenly aware of the connection between transportation investment, economic growth and job creation, and he understands how critical transportation investment is to cities and metropolitan areas in fueling economic growth and recovery,” the Conference said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Ed Rendell, former Pennsylvania governor and current co-chairman of Building America’s Future, also applauded Foxx’s nomination.
“Mayor Foxx has first-hand knowledge of how to create jobs through smart investment in transportation and infrastructure,” Rendell added in a statement. “Charlotte is a vibrant city in the middle of undertaking some very innovative transportation projects, including a new streetcar and expansion of the city’s light rail system.
“We hope for a quick confirmation and a productive tenure. The challenges our country faces are great and we need to prioritize and reinvest in our infrastructure to remain competitive in the global economy.”
