Department of Transportation (DOT)
Secretary NORMAN MINETA

Confirmed 100-0 by the Senate January 24 and sworn in January 25.

Government policy experience: U.S. secretary of commerce, 2000-2001; member of U.S. House of Representatives, 1974-1995, including 20 years on the Transportation Committee, two as committee chairman; mayor of San Jose, California, 1971-1974; San Jose city councilman, 1967-1971.

Other work experience: Senior vice president for transportation systems and services, Lockheed Martin Corporation, 1995-2000.

Education: B.S., University of California-Berkeley.

President Bush on Mineta: "Secretary Mineta would bring a lot of experience to the job. He made a reputation in the halls of Congress as someone who understands that a sound infrastructure in America will lead to economic opportunity for all Americans."

Mineta on transportation: "Our national transportation policy must have one overriding bipartisan goal, and that is to give our economy the tools and the infrastructure it needs in order to create and sustain growth and prosperity. In particular, it is no accident that in the areas in our nation where the economy has excelled, the number one issue is improving the transportation system. Inadequate infrastructure is one of the chief threats to a thriving economy."

Background: Mineta, 69, was placed at age 10 with other Japanese Americans in a World War II internment camp. Later he became the first Asian-American mayor of a major U.S. city and the first Asian-American member of a president's Cabinet. He took the Commerce post in July when William Daley left it to manage Vice President Al Gore's election campaign. Mineta is the only Democrat in the Bush Cabinet. He strongly supports "open skies" and other liberal aviation agreements with foreign governments.