Washington, D.C. (February 02, 2021) — Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn today issued the following statement:

"On behalf of America’s investor-owned electric companies, EEI congratulates Pete Buttigieg on his Senate confirmation to serve as the new Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOT), and we thank him for his continued commitment to public service.

“Addressing climate change and advancing clean energy are top priorities of President Biden. Secretary Buttigieg and DOT will play a critical role in implementing many of the administration’s initiatives, particularly those related to transportation electrification and infrastructure, and we look forward to working together on these critical issues. 

“Today, the transportation sector is the largest domestic source of carbon emissions. We are pleased that the administration is moving forward to create aggressive rules for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and to electrify the federal transportation fleet. We encourage Secretary Buttigieg and DOT to support policies that encourage investment in electric transportation and deployment of charging infrastructure that will enable more electric cars, trucks, and buses to drive on U.S. roads. 

“We also share Secretary Buttigieg’s goal of expanding affordable and reliable broadband access to all American communities, and many EEI member companies already are working to provide the middle mile broadband infrastructure that is needed to reach these underserved and unserved areas.”