NARC Supports Mary Peters
September 5
NARC Supports Mary Peters Nomination to USDOT
The National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) strongly supports the nomination of Mary Peters to be United States Secretary of Transportation. NARC believes that Ms. Peters has the skills and experience to effectively lead the Department, and urges the Senate to quickly consider and confirm her nomination.
NARC’s member Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Councils of Government (COGs) are hard at work planning and building critical transportation infrastructure. NARC and its members frequently interacted with Ms. Peters during her tenure as Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration, and are confident in her understanding of transportation policy, SAFETEA-LU, and the important role played by regional transportation planning agencies.
Upon her confirmation as Transportation Secretary, Ms. Peters has several challenges ahead of her. The United States must find ways to cope with the decline in traditional funding sources like the Highway Trust Fund. At the same time, the United States must deal with new demands on freight infrastructure and high rates of highway fatalities. NARC believes that Ms. Peters is well-suited to this challenge, and looks forward to working with her and her staff to achieve the goal of a safe and efficient transportation system that supports economic growth.
On September 5th, 2006, NARC sent a congratulatory letter to Ms. Peters affirming its support and confidence in her leadership. NARC also expressed support for a speedy confirmation through a letter to Senator Bill Frist, Majority Leader; Senator Harry Reid, Minority Leader; Senator Ted Stevens, Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; and Senator Daniel Inouye, Co-Chairman.