Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, the top Democrat on the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, praised Ms. Chao for acting with “grace and excellence” in her previous government service. She served as labor secretary for the duration of George W. Bush’s administration and as a deputy transportation secretary under the elder George Bush. Emphasizing the need to revitalize the nation’s transportation infrastructure, Ms. Chao called for creativity to fund improvements. Praising Ms. Chao as “incredibly capable” in his introduction, Mr. McConnell cheekily endorsed Mr. Trump’s pick. “I feel a little bit like Nathan Hale,” Mr. McConnell said.

Source: New York Times January 11, 2017 19:42 UTC