there are people of the highest character, varied experiences are going tods who help us beat this pandemic, keep ourafe and secure and build economy back better than it ever was. that includes longtime and newes and new faces voices. they include people who share my views and those who have views.nt they include people who upported my campaign from its earliest days and those that ran against me. they are experts in policies and by crises and by the end of this process, this abinet will be the most representative of any cabinet in american history. we will have more people of color than any cabinet ever. have more women than any cabinet ever. we will have a cabinet of breakers. a cabinets of firsts. -- cabinet of firsts. proud presidents are when they are able to achieve a first in their cabinet. when president clinton named the first-ever woman to be named secretary of

state. i was there when president obama the first-ever black attorney general. my compared to the predecessors, the harris-biden first among cabinets among all the firsts it represents. he first-ever woman, the first black woman, the first woman of dissent as vice president behind me on the screen. black secretary of defense. first--ever latino head of h.h.s. he first-ever woman of south asian dissent to lead the o.m.b. the first woman and asian the united lead states trade representative -- as our lead united states trade representative. first black woman to chair the president's counscil on advisors. the first-ever woman to hold alexander hamilton's position as treasury secretary. our cabinet doesn't have just

two of these ust firsts but eight precedent busting appointments and today a nine. openly gay er nominee to lead the cabinet department. one of the youngest cabinet members ever. biden-harris cabinet will be a historic cabinet, a cabinet that looks like america, a the best in taps america, a cabinet that's opening doors and breaking down and accessing the full range of talent. we have so much of it. the full range of talent in this nation. that's up to the immediate crises we face, and we face several. challenges -term this nation faces is in the cabinet's hands. qualified, tested, experienced, creative, innovative, and forward looking. yes, representative. and today, i am round to a number nate its -- proud to newest member. for secretary of transportation,

nominate mayor pete buttigieg. i got to know pete on the trail.n he's one of the smartest people you'll ever meet and humble. heartland.m the a managing expert. a policy wamp with a big heart. united nant in the states navy reserve. an intelligence officer. deployed to afghanistan while he mayor. a new voice with new ideas, etermined to move past old politics. the son of professors. an sband -- his husband is educator. always, always a mark of good haracter, is the way i look at it. and by the way, jill and i have enjoyed pete and chasen on the campaign trail. become a close friend of jill's and i. ete is clear about who he is, how he believes, and how he wants to bring people in, not exclude them. any room, o walk in leave people inspired with his

america o describe an that's best for us -- all of us. an america that's hopeful, bold, creative, inclusive. an america that can do literally anything. the department of transportation serves as a critical mission responsibility, particularly in this administration. we need someone who knows how to with state, local, and federal agencies. one in ple, right now, five miles of our highways are condition, r according to the society of american engineers. tens of thousands of bridges are in disrepair. verge of collapse, presenting a clear and present danger to people's lives. the world's richest nation but we rank 10th in overall our infrastructure, according to the world economic forum. do.there's so much we can when i think of climate change,

good-paying jobs, union jobs, jobs that put americans to work, making the for our kids to breathe, restoring our crumbling ports.bridges, making it faster, cheaper, and cleaner to transport american-made goods across the around the world. i know that when you were mayor, come in n people would to try to decide whether they something, o build where is the nearest railroad, water access, so on and so on. this will attract businesses. obs that lay the line for the second great railroad revolution, which is not only will slash pollution, but will commute times, open up investments in areas connected the tropolitan areas for first time. ou know, we selected pete for transportation because the department is the intersection of some of our most ambitious better. build back when president obama put me in

charge of implementing the was over ct, which $800 billion, to take us from risis to recovery to resurgence, managing our roads, bridges, ports, was some of our critical investments. we invested more in infrastructure than any time ince president eisenhower and the interstate highway projects. the projects that traditionally support, thatisan forge public and private partnerships. hen we do those public and private partnerships and we invest federal money, we pull billions of dollars of private dollar we for every put in -- federal dollar. millions of americans to work, strengthening our economy, our economic competitiveness, and rebuilding the future.ies for pete's got a great perspective solves problems and brings people together. next ot a vision of a generation leader, and with experience and the temperament -- today.ange today to dig us out of this economic

kriers. example -- crisis. for example, helps cities and states to keep transit systems unning for frontline and essential workers, and then helping them modernize their airports, their ports, their and retain attract businesses and workers. o advance racial equality, racial equity as we build back better including everyone to zip zip code doesn't determine your access to a good job, a good school, a good health care.d to deal with the existential of climate changes with real jobs, not just $15 an hour ob, which i'll call for universally, but for prevailing wages, union jobs paying $45, benefits. helping cities and states across the country, in red states and blue states. red cities and blue cities. o build more climate resilient communities that deal with more extreme floods, droughts, and superstorms. just look around the country today. what are we faced with? the west is burning.

flooded.st is being the east coast is being pummeled more tornadoes and storms than it's ever had. state that's three feet above sea level. ll of us along the atlantic ocean find ourselves with problems in terms of flooding. look, working with states, labor to install 500,000 charging stations for clean t generation of vehicles, smart grid system, consumption and enter the clean energy economy across america. of us remember i met with five leading c.e.o.'s in america leading unions in america. and the president of general conversation, ur our joint conversation picked up the phone and called, i'm told, and said they're dropping their suit against california. sure e all in on making that they are a -- we're the

first in the world to have -- get to o and be able to toarbon neutral economic way power automobiles as a consequence of dealing with electric vehicles. own the electric vehicle market and can put those 500,000 stations, if we can put a million jobs back in detroit building midwest, cars. you know, pete's going to also carry out the department's duty our ep americans safe on roads and highways and in our skies. pete's going to help build back and hope.h jobs with vision and execution. honored onored, i'm he's aunswering the call to sere his country again. so please welcome, please elcome the next secretary of buttigieg.ion, pete

mr. uttigieg: well, president-elect, madam vice thank you so t, much for entrusting me with this opportunity to serve the american people. humbled by your confidence, eager to do everything in my this to ensure that administration succeeds. y hometown, south bend, indiana, was built by the power of american transportation. the river whose bend gives our city its name, to the raillines that connected us rest of the country back when we were considered the west, to the livelihoods created the good-paying union jobs in laces like the aeronautical supplier and the giant auto

assembly of studebaker. and now climate and innovation are helping bring my community into century. i also have a personal love of transportation ever since childhood. a college nce as student i would convince a friend to travel nearly a thousand miles back to indiana amtrak.on though i know in this administration, i will at best to be the second biggest train enthusiast around. a spring break in graduate school aboard a cargo there.aveling travel in my mind is synonymous with growth, with adventure, even love. so that i proposed to my husband, chasen, in an airport terminal. chasten, in an airport terminal. don't let anybody tell you that isn't romantic. i want to thank chasten for everything that he gives and to ything he sacrifices support me in public service. first time i ran for office was platform of supporting the

obama-biden administration's industry.the auto and when i did first takeoffs as its , in a city fighting way out of the teeth of the great recession, infrastructure vision.he heart of our we reimagined how vehicles and city. moved through the unlocking new economic vibrancy in our urban core. up partnerships from regional collaboration to improve rail service, to the partnership that put our city at the cutting edge of bicycle mobility. e developed new forms of support for lower wage workers in their commutes and added lectric vehicle charging infrastructure. to help prepare for a more sustainable future. with the alt challenges created by generations of often inadequate and federal infrastructure funding. to just enough resources eplenish the paving of every lane mile in street in our city

so.y 100 years or i dealt with the pothole. in a community where more than a of our residents lived in poverty, we worked to fill in he gaps that were created when underfunded transit resources left, cut off from opportunity they didn't have the means to own a car. transportation makes the american dream possible. to ing people and goods where they need to be. directly and indirectly creating jobs.aying at its worst, misguided policies and missed opportunities can racial, economic, and environmental injustice, isolating r neighborhoods, undermining overnment's basic role, to empower everyone to thrive. nd now comes a historic opportunity. this administration can deliver willies and resources that create jobs, rise to the climate

equitably serve all americans, all while continuing to ensure the safety travelers and workers alike. america has given this a mandate to uild back better, and step one in building back better, literally, is to build. shouldn't settle for less than our peers in the developed world when it comes to roads and bridges and railways and transit systems. the u.s. should lead the way, nd i know in this administration we will. we'll bring together leaders and corner, es from every labor and business, left, right rural, ter, urban and communities of color, tribal nations, mayors, counties, everyone who has a stake in american infrastructure to future. better americans expect us to see to it an the idea of infrastructure week is associated with results and

punch line.a media my view of this opportunity is youngest being the member so far of this cabinet being st millennial to invit invited to a seat at the table. we have a lot at stake in that by cture policy its nature must contemplate both and long term. the question of how will america look by the middle of this century, the competitiveness of economy, the security of our climate. academic, it'sn't personal. i'm also mindful the eyes of this appointment. knowing this is the first time an american president has ever openly lgbtq cabinet ember to the senate for confirmation. i can remember watching the news indiana, seeing a story about an appointee of president clinton named to be attacked and denied a vote in the senate because he

gay. ultimately able to serve only by recess appointment. i had no aspirations of being appointed by a president to anything. t that age i was hoping to be an airline pilot. and i was a long way from coming out, even to myself, but still i that story. i learned something about some exist in thisthat country when it comes to who is allowed to belong. just as important, i saw how hose limits could be challenged. so two decades later, i can't help but think of a 17-year-old who might be watching us right now, somebody who wonders belong ind where they the world or even in their own family, and i'm thinking about today's ge that announcement is sending to them. o thank you, mr. president-elect, thank you for onoring your commitment to diversity with this

administration that you're assembling. vice ank you, madam president-elect, for your trail blazing leadership, your ncouragement, and your friendship. there is no greater source of meaning in professional life serve others.e to i felt that meaning every time i in d up my boots when i was the military, every time i came to work when i was a mayor. now joining here an historic team with such important mission, preparing to deliver to all americans. you. harris: as nt-elect president-elect biden and i will look upon looking in the white we're focused on containing this pandemic and delivering relief to all who need it. are focused on safely

reopening our schools and our nsibly reopening economy. and as we've said many times, we focused on building america back better and doing is necessary to lift up all americans, no matter where they big whether it's in cities, rural areas, or anyplace in between. . bridges, transit systems, railways, ports, and airports while powering them with clean energy. spark a renaissance in american

passenger rail that will not only connect our country, but unlock job creation and growth across our manufacturing sector. and we will expand and upgrade our transportation system in a way that is equitable. serving communities of every size, urban and rural, across our country. the choice president-elect biden has made to help spearhead this work is simply outstanding. i got to know pete over the last couple of years. we traveled to the same states. attended the same events. and shared a debate stage being -- many mimes. we have had long conversations he and i about the future of our country, about the need for bipartisanship, and about family and faith. and along the way pete and his wonderful husband have become very dear friends of doug's and mine. pete is an innovative problem solver.

he has a sharp intellect and deep commitment to uniting people across party lines and meeting our challenges together. he is a trailblazing leader from the industrial midwest who understands we need to create opportunity for people of all backgrounds. and he is, of course, a veteran and a dedicated public servant who represents the very best of our country and the next generation of american leadership. now, pete will bringries remarkable talents to bear not just on behalf of the people of south bend but on behalf of the people across our nation. in 1966, upon creating the department of transportation, president lyndon johnson said, america's history is a history of her transportation. with pete's leadership, we are ready to write the next great chapter in that history.

modernizing our infrastructure, creating jobs and opportunity and helping to usher in a clean energy future for the united states of america. thank you, mr. president-elect. and welcome, pete. president-elect biden: by wait, i called the vice president elect and thanked her for not getting on the highway in the middle of a storm. a storm about to come to come up here. she wanted to be here as you know. thank you-all very, very much. if you have to travel -- we are working on that right now. i i want to make sure we demonstrate to the american people that it is safe to take. they are working on that plan right now. and when do i it, i'll do it publicly. so you-all can actually witness y getting it done.

it looks like the very, very close. and it looks like there's going to be direct cash payments. but it's a down payment. important down payment on what's going to have to be done the end of january and into february. it's very important to get done. i compliment on the bipartisan group on working together to get it done. thank you-all very much. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2020] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] >> stay with c-span for our continuing coverage with the transition of power as president-elect joe biden moves closer to the presidency. with the electoral college votes

cast from states across the contry, join us on january 6, live at 1:00 p.m. eastern for the joint session of congress to counts the votes and declare the winner for president and vice president. finally at noon on january 20, the inauguration of the 46th president of the united states. live coverage begins at 7:00 a.m. eastern. from the statehouse to congress to the white house, watch it all live on c-span, on the go at c-span.org, or listen using the free c-span radio app. >> the last few days here of the lame duck session, the 116th congress, with the u.s. house returning at 2:00 p.m. eastern for legislative work. they'll be working on a number of bills, including several related to veterans issue. votes expected between 3 and 3:30 p.m. eastern. we'll have live coverage when they return straight up at 2:00 eastern here on c-span. ahead of that, today's operation warp speed briefing with h.h.s. secretary alex