FTA Administrator Nominee Backed By Senate Banking Committee
Molinaro, a former U.S. Representative for New York’s 19th congressional district (2023-25), was nominated by POTUS 47 in February for the top FTA job. He would succeed Nuria Fernandez, who retired Feb. 24, 2024.
A member of the Republican Party, Molinaro was first elected to public office at the age of 18 in 1994, serving on the Village of Tivoli, N.Y., Board of Trustees. In 1995, he became the youngest mayor in the United States. He was re-elected as Tivoli Mayor five times and elected four times to the Dutchess County, N.Y., Legislature. In 2006, he was elected to represent the 103rd District in the New York State Assembly, and in 2011, was elected as County Executive. Molinaro is a graduate of Dutchess Community College.
At the start of the Senate Banking Committee’s hearing, Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said Molinaro “brings extensive experience from his time in Congress, and serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, as well as a long career in local government, which makes him uniquely qualified for this role” leading FTA.
In prepared remarks, Molinaro told the Committee that “[t]ransit is more than a system of buses, ferries, and rails—it’s the shared circulatory system of our economy. It connects rural towns and big cities, creates opportunity, and drives growth. It revitalizes the centers of community. It gives Americans—from students to seniors, veterans to working parents—the freedom to move, thrive and succeed.”
“[T]ransit must embrace technology, modernize systems, and leverage investment in housing, commercial, and overall economic development,” he continued. “We must make use of data to improve reliability and enhance safety, and innovation to better serve riders and communities. To fully realize this vision, we must drive innovation, streamline permitting, boost performance, and fully harness technology to transform how we plan, build, and operate transit. A modern, safe, reliable, and accessible transit system in urban centers and rural communities—underground, over roads, and across waterways—will advance America and Americans.
“In my career, I’ve focused on creating opportunities for individuals with disabilities. As Dutchess County Executive, our ThinkDIFFERENTLY initiative, launched in 2015, changed how government serves people—not through rhetoric, but through action. We made universal accessibility a core value. If confirmed, that same commitment to those with physical, developmental, and intellectual disabilities will shape every aspect of my work at the FTA—for daughters like my own and the millions of Americans like her.
“Transit depends on people—each agency’s operators, engineers, maintenance crews, dispatchers, and custodians who keep America moving. Their dedication deserves our respect, our investment, and a seat at the table. I value the work of the unions that represent them and see them as partners in building a system that is safer, more efficient, and future-ready. And I thank my good friend John Samuelson, President of the Transport Workers Union, for his support and being here with me today. Let me also recognize the professionals at the Federal Transit Administration. Their expertise and dedication are essential to this mission, and I look forward to working alongside them to deliver results for the American people.
“If confirmed, I will advance [POTUS 47’s] bold America First agenda for rebuilding our infrastructure, and meet [USDOT] Secretary [Sean] Duffy’s high standards for leadership, innovation, and accountability. I will work with each of you—regardless of party—to help build transit systems that deliver: for riders, for workers, for taxpayers, and for the communities we all serve.”
Among Molinaro’s backers are the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), along with the American Bus Association, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York, Associated General Contractors of New York State, ACES Mobility Coalition, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, New York State Association of Counties, and Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO.
In a letter of support, APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas told the Senate Banking Committee that “Mr. Molinaro knows firsthand the importance of public transportation and its incredible economic impact. Public transportation is critically important to New York State, and its public transit agencies provide billions of transit trips each year. New York is also home to key public transit industry manufacturers, suppliers, and design and engineering services. In total, the public transit industry directly employs more than 150,000 public- and private-sector workers in New York. In Congress, Mr. Molinaro served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, where he authored and supported several bills focused on investing in public transportation, advocating for individuals with disabilities, and establishing safety requirements for rail carriers. Mr. Molinaro’s experience and dedication to public transportation well position him to lead FTA. He knows firsthand the difference that public transportation makes in people’s daily lives. We look forward to working with Mr. Molinaro to drive economic growth, create American manufacturing jobs, and build stronger communities through public transportation.”
The Senate Banking Committee also voted to advance for full Senate vote Paul Atkins to be Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Jonathan Gould to be Comptroller of the Currency, and Luke Pettit to be Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. There is no timeline for this vote.
