Trump Taps Sullivan for USDOT Government Affairs Post
President Trump nominated Senate staffer Adam Sullivan to be assistant secretary of transportation for government affairs, a position that would make Sullivan the U.S. Department of Transportation's chief adviser on congressional relations.
That is Trump's fourth announced USDOT appointment so far that requires Senate confirmation, and the Senate has only confirmed Elaine Chao as secretary. A full Senate vote is pending on Jeffrey Rosen to be deputy secretary and the president has announced his intention to nominate Derek Kan as undersecretary for policy.
Other assistant secretary posts and all the top positions of USDOT modal administrations remain vacant except for that of Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta, who is in a five-year term that extends to next January.
Sullivan had worked for Chao when she was labor secretary during the George W. Bush administration. He was a deputy assistant secretary for congressional affairs, Politico said.
The White House announcement noted that Sullivan's career "has spanned both chambers of Congress and the executive branch." He is currently on the staff of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
Politico reported that he worked as chief of staff for two House members, former Reps. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., and Jim Lightfoot, R-Iowa. It said Sullivan was also a top lobbyist for defense contractor Harris Corp. The White House said he "worked on national security-related programs" there.
http://news.transportation.org/Pages/051217sullivan.aspx