The federal Transportation Department, which oversees the FAA and air traffic control, will be headed by Elaine Chao when the Trump administration takes office, CNN reported on Tuesday. Chao is a former labor secretary and also is married to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. The post is currently filled by Anthony Foxx, who has served since 2013. The DOT has a budget of more than $70 billion and employs more than 55,000 workers. The agency oversees all air, maritime and surface transportation in the U.S.
Chao previously served as the deputy secretary of transportation from 1989 to 1991, and as secretary of labor from 2001 to 2009. Most recently she has held a position as a distinguished fellow at the Hudson Institute. Earlier in her career, Chao also worked for United Way and the Peace Corps, and earned an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School.
