Majority Statement

• Ted Stevens

  Senator
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  Majority Statement

  Ted Stevens

  Statement of Senator Ted Stevens
  Chairman, Senate Commerce Committee
  Hearing on Nominations of Maria Cino, to be Deputy
  Secretary of Transportation, and Phyllis Scheinberg,
  to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation
  April 26, 2005

  THE COMMITTEE WILL COME TO ORDER.

  I THANK THE COMMITTEE FOR MEETING ON SHORT NOTICE FOR TODAY’S HEARING ON THE NOMINATIONS OF MARIA CINO AND PHYLLIS SCHEINBERG.

  PRESIDENT BUSH NOMINATED MARIA CINO TO BE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ON APRIL 6, 2005.

  HER PREVIOUS POSITIONS IN GOVERNMENT INCLUDE TWO YEARS AS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE FOREIGN COMMERCIAL SERVICE.

  SHE LED THE ADMINISTRATION’S EXPORT PROMOTION EFFORT AT THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT. SHE MANAGED 1700 EMPLOYEES AT AN AGENCY WITH OFFICES IN MORE THAN 80 COUNTRIES.

  THE PRESIDENT NOMINATED PHYLLIS SCHEINBERG TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ON APRIL 14, 2005.

  MS. SCHEINBERG HAS A DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN FEDERAL SERVICE DEVOTED TO TRANSPORTATION ISSUES. SHE HAS SERVED AS DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF D.O.T., AS A DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AT G.A.O., AND AS A BUDGET EXAMINER AT O.M.B.

  SHE BRINGS VITAL EXPERIENCE TO A DEPARTMENT WITH ENORMOUS FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, INCLUDING THE AVIATION AND HIGHWAY TRUST FUNDS AND NEW RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.

  I THANK THE WITNESSES FOR THEIR TESTIMONY TODAY.

   

• George Allen

  Senator
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  Majority Statement

  George Allen

  Statement of Senator George Allen
  Nomination Hearing
  Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
  April 25, 2005

  Thank you Mr. Chairman. I am pleased to be before the committee this morning to introduce two highly qualified Virginians that have been nominated to serve at the Department of Transportation. Both have distinguished careers in public service and will help tackle the daunting transportation problems that face on nation once confirmed.

  My friendship with Maria goes back to 1991 when I was a Member of the House while she was Chief of Staff to Congressman Bill Paxon.

  Maria Cino has held a number of posts in our government throughout the years. Prior to her most recent political work, Maria was appointed by President Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Assistant Secretary and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service at the Department of Commerce.

  She managed a worldwide group that helped small and medium size businesses to export their product and/or services abroad and sought to protect all U.S. businesses overseas. Maria’s oversaw and distributed an annual budget of $200 million and supervising 1,700 employees at 105 domestic offices and 162 international offices.

  While at Commerce, Maria worked helped create a centralized Professional Development department to provide consistent and ongoing training for headquarters, domestic, and international staff. Maria has also worked as a public policy and government affairs consultant for the law firm of Wiley, Rein & Fielding in Washington, D.C. During this time, she used her management, legislative and political experience to represent corporations and trade associations on a wide range of issues before Congress.

  And as I mentioned earlier, Maria got her start as Chief of Staff for U.S. Representative Bill Paxon where she set-up, hired and supervised the Washington, D.C. office and four district offices.

  Having worked together over the years, I can attest to Maria’s strong management skills and attention to getting the job done.

  It is also my pleasure to introduce Phyllis Scheinberg as the nominee for Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Transportation.

  Phyllis has also served in a number of roles in government. She comes to this nomination as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Budget and Programs, overseeing the development and presentation of the DOT’s budget requirements.

  Prior to joining DOT, Phyllis was the Director for Transportation Issues at the General Accounting Office where she directed reports, testimony and briefings on a multitude of surface transportation issues. In this capacity, she testified before Congress on a wide range of topics including the financial viability of Amtrak and a particularly relevant topic today, the reauthorization of TEA-21.

  Before working on transportation issues at GAO, Phyllis served as a senior budget examiner for transportation and natural resources at OMB.

  She originally came to Washington D.C. as a Presidential Management Intern in 1979.

  Phyllis has been a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia for almost 26 years. She and her husband, David Turner, currently reside in North Arlington. Both of her children, Dianne and Eric, attended public school in Arlington, with son Eric is currently a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology.

  Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing and allowing me to present to the committee these two exceptional and well-qualified nominees.

   

Witness Panel 2

• Ms. Maria Cino

  Nominated to be Deputy Secretary of Transportation

  U.S. Department of Transportation
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  Witness Panel 2

  Ms. Maria Cino

  REMARKS FOR
  THE HONORABLE MARIA CINO
  DEPUTY SECRETARY DESIGNATE
  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
  CONFIRMATION HEARING
  SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
  WASHINGTON, D.C.
  Thank you, Chairman Stevens, Senator Inouye, and Members of the Committee. It is an honor for me to appear before you today as President Bush’s nominee to serve as the next Deputy Secretary of Transportation. I am grateful to President Bush and Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta for their support of my nomination. I am a great admirer of Secretary Mineta. He is a statesman in the truest sense of the word, and he is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about our Nation’s transportation system. As the members of this Committee understand so well, transportation is the engine that drives the American economy. It is imperative to keep the Department responsible for this vital network operating at peak efficiency as we approach a challenging road ahead. The Deputy Secretary is the Chief Operating Officer of the Department responsible for seeing that this Nation’s vast network of highways and railways, our seaways, airports, pipelines, and transit systems continue to operate safely, reliably, and efficiently…all the while looking ahead to anticipate and prepare for tomorrow’s transportation demands in an increasingly interconnected world. While I cannot claim to have Secretary Mineta’s vast expertise on transportation, what I will be able to bring to the Department, should I be confirmed, is the benefit of my nearly 25 years of managing and leading field-based organizations; developing and adhering to complex budgets; setting short- and long-term strategic goals; building coalitions; and developing, motivating, and mentoring staffs. Included in this experience is an understanding of the importance of working with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, and an extensive network of contacts in Federal, State, and local agencies. During the President’s first term, I had the privilege of being confirmed by the Senate for the position of Assistant Secretary and Director General of the Department of Commerce’s United States and Foreign Commercial Service. This office is charged with export promotion and at that time had offices in 85 countries and 47 states and 1,700 employees. In fact, it was four years ago, almost to the day, on which I appeared before this very Committee as well as the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs for confirmation hearings for that position. My experience as Director General of the Commercial Service instilled a deep appreciation of the dedicated and compassionate public servants who work for America. I relied on their expertise and advice to do my job, and I believe that my leadership skills and management strengths helped them to do their jobs better. At the Commercial Service, my job was helping connect U.S. businesses with export opportunities, giving me a first-hand look at the critical role of transportation networks in the global economy. Transportation links were major considerations, and major factors in our success, whether it was the availability of air services to connect potential buyers and sellers or the entire intermodal supply chain that serve as the essential artery through which international commerce flows. I know of no Department that affects more peoples’ lives as directly as Transportation. If confirmed, I look forward to the opportunity to help this essential Department and its employees continue to excel, and to make sure that the Department invests its resources wisely and well to deliver the infrastructure that will keep America, and the American economy, moving forward. Again, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today, and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

• Ms. Phyllis Scheinberg

  Nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer

  U.S. Department of Transportation
  Read statement

  Witness Panel 2

  Ms. Phyllis Scheinberg

  STATEMENT OF PHYLLIS F. SCHEINBERG
  ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
  FOR BUDGET AND PROGRAMS/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER – DESIGNATE
  BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
  SCIENCE AND TRANSPORTATION
  UNITED STATES SENATE
  April 26, 2005
  Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Senator Inouye and Members of the Committee. It is an honor for me to appear before you today and to have been selected by Secretary Mineta and President Bush for the position of the Assistant Secretary for Budget and Programs and Chief Financial Officer at the Department of Transportation. If confirmed, I look forward to working closely with this Committee on transportation issues. Throughout almost 26 years of Federal service, I have worked in the area of transportation finance and oversight. During this time, I have come to understand and appreciate the vital role that a safe, secure, and dependable transportation system plays in keeping our economy strong. I also understand the importance of the Executive and Legislative Branches working together as a team to improve the nation’s transportation policies, programs, and financing. For many years, I have worked closely with the Congress and this Committee, in particular. If confirmed, I look forward to working with all of you as we develop new solutions for our nation’s transportation needs. I recognize the significant investment American taxpayers have made in developing, maintaining, and improving transportation. That is why, as Assistant Secretary and CFO, my top priority would be to ensure that our financial investment in transportation is managed as effectively and efficiently as possible. I am committed to continued improvement of the processes and systems needed to ensure proper oversight of the funds entrusted to us. We have a responsibility to ensure that the traveling public and our business community receive the greatest return on their transportation investment. As a career public servant, I am deeply honored to be considered for this important position. Over the years, I have seen first hand the positive benefits that open exchange of information and collaboration can provide in addressing transportation issues. I am proud to have dedicated my career to this important mission. If confirmed as Assistant Secretary and CFO, I pledge to work closely with the Congress, to be a good steward of American’s transportation dollars, and to safeguard the financial resources of the Department of Transportation.