Elaine Chao was confirmed as Secretary of Transportation by the Senate Tuesday with a 93-6 vote.
Chao immigrated to America from Taiwan when she was eight-years-old and spoke no English. She went on the graduate from Harvard Business School.
She has previously worked as assistant secretary of Transportation and was appointed secretary of Labor by former president George W. Bush.
Chao is married to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell-R Ky.
Sen. Todd Young-R In. released a statement expressing his support for Chao.
“’The Crossroads of America’ is more than just a moniker for the state of Indiana,” Young said in a press release. “If we are to remain a main logistics and manufacturing economy, our state will need additional infrastructure investments.
Secretary Chao’s previous experience as Secretary of Labor and leading various non-profits will be invaluable experience in ensuring the Department of Transportation runs smoothly and efficiently.
I was proud to support her nomination and am confident her work will provide tangible benefits to the Hoosier state.”
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The Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions approved Betsy DeVos’s nomination to lead the Department of Education on Tuesday.
DeVos was confirmed with a 12-11 vote along party lines. Her nomination will now go to the Senate floor, where she will need a majority to be confirmed.
Trump meets with pharmaceutical industry
Trump met with pharmaceutical executives in the Oval Office on Tuesday to inform them if they bring production back to the U.S., he will lower regulations on their businesses.
Trump said the companies have done a “terrific job over the years,” but prices for drugs must come down, according to CNN.
Executives from Merck & Co. and Johnson & Johnson were present at the meeting.
“So you have to get your companies back here. We have to make products ... We have to get rid of a tremendous number of regulations,” Trump said in the meeting. “I know you have some problems where you cannot even think about opening up new plants. You can’t get approval for the plant and then you can’t get approval to make the drugs.”
