Tuesday, September 18, 2001
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571
DOT
99-01
U.S.
Transportation Secretary Mineta Applauds Intent to Nominate Shane As
DOT Associate Deputy Secretary; Will Ask Congress to Retitle Position
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today applauded President Bush’s intention to nominate Jeffrey N. Shane as Associate Deputy Secretary of Transportation. As part of a reorganization and enhancement of DOT’s policy functions, Secretary Mineta also announced that the Department will ask the Congress to retitle the position as Under Secretary for Policy.
“If confirmed by the Senate, Jeff Shane will bring an unparalleled level of experience and institutional knowledge to DOT. With our proposed reorganization, Jeff will be able to make an even more substantial contribution,” said Secretary Mineta. “I hope that the Senate will consider his nomination soon and confirm him for the new position that we will be proposing.”
Shane is currently a partner at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Hogan & Hartson. Prior to entering private law practice, he held a series of senior transportation-related positions in the federal government, including Assistant Secretary for Policy and International Affairs at the Department of Transportation and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Transportation Affairs at the Department of State. Shane is a graduate of Princeton University and the Columbia University School of Law.
“Although I have done a number of tours of government service, I could not pass up the chance to serve with Secretary Mineta and his superb team,” said Shane. “I am grateful to President Bush for creating this special opportunity and, should I be confirmed by the Senate, I look forward to helping shape transportation policy in these challenging times.”
If the proposed title change is approved by Congress and signed into law by the President, the Under Secretary for Policy will manage all aspects of transportation policy development within DOT. Since 1993, various components of policy development have been split among three offices: Transportation Policy, Aviation and International Affairs, and the Office of Intermodalism, each of which has been headed by a separate, Senate-confirmed presidential appointee. Under the reorganization proposed by Secretary Mineta, all three areas would report to the Under Secretary, who would also be charged with convening groups of transportation policy experts to assist and advise the regular policy staff.
President Bush recently nominated Emil Frankel to be Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy and Read Van de Water to be Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs. Under the proposed reorganization, these positions and their respective staffs would report to the new Under Secretary.
“With Jeff Shane, Emil Frankel, and Read Van de Water, DOT will have the leadership for a true transportation policy ‘think tank’ that will utilize the most talented people from inside and outside of government,” said Secretary Mineta.
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