In The News

Ferro liklely won’t be confirmed as FMCSA chief until after Labor Day

WASHINGTON — Unless there is a change of plans, it appears that Anne S. Ferro won’t be confirmed as the new administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration until after Labor Day.

Her nomination does not appear on two calendars for the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which will have to approve her nomination before it is sent to the full Senate.

Once the full Senate receives the nomination from the committee, based on previous Senate actions, she likely will be confirmed within 48 hours.

The committee on Wednesday morning during hearings will take up the nominations of Dennis F. Hightower to be deputy secretary of the Department of Commerce; Robert S. Adler, to be a commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission; and Anne M. Northup, to be a commissioner of the Consumer Product Safety Commission

The committee will meet in executive session Wednesday afternoon to mark up bills and several nominations, including that of Christopher P. Bertram to be assistant secretary for budget and programs and chief financial officer of the Department of Transportation.

Congress goes into recess later this week and is scheduled to return to work Sept. 8.

Also in limbo is the Mexico cross-border truck program.

Published reports indicate and sources have told The Trucker that a proposal for a new program is under study somewhere in Washington, either on Capitol Hill or at the White House.

President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Mexico Aug. 9-10.

The Trucker staff may be reached to comment at [email protected] .

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