Appointee Update: Dec. 11, 2024
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Sean Duffy has a background in reality television and was most recently a co-host of The Bottom Line on Fox Business. He is a former district attorney for Ashland County, Wisconsin, and served as a United States Representative (R-WI) for four terms. During President-elect Trump’s first term, then-Representative Duffy introduced a bill that would have expanded Trump’s presidential powers to impose tariffs, earning him praise from the president despite disregard from members of his party. The president-elect has since touted Duffy as a “tremendous and well-liked public servant.”
However, many have said that Duffy lacks experience in the transportation field, raising concerns regarding his qualifications as Secretary of Transportation.
Impact on Transportation and PA
If confirmed, Duffy would lead an agency that plays a vital role in regulating emissions from cars and trucks. He would work closely with Lee Zeldin of the EPA and Chris Wright of the Department of Energy. He would inherit a department with increased funding through President Biden’s infrastructure bill. His intentions around electric vehicles remain unclear.
There is a large trucking industry in PA. Under the new Trump administration, the trucking industry may be handed looser environmental regulations, allowing large, for-profit corporations to cut costs significantly. What this means for the overall industry remains to be seen, especially in PA.
One area that may significantly impact PA is if the president-elect directs Duffy to pursue a transportation bill that failed during Trump’s first term: raising the state and local government’s funding responsibility to fifty percent or more for transportation projects.
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Kelly Loeffler is a former US Senator of Georgia. Her public service experience is limited to her short Senate tenure after she was appointed to a vacated seat by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and lost in the runoff to Rev. Raphael Warnock. Before her time in the Senate, Loeffler spent 25 years in financial services. Loeffler is the former CEO of Bakkt, a cryptocurrency firm that Truth Social has been considering purchasing. She and her husband previously co-owned the Atlanta Dream.
Impact on PA
If confirmed, Loeffler would lead an agency responsible for billions of dollars in loans, disaster relief, and other assistance to small businesses. Though Loeffler’s agenda is unclear, she has some looming challenges within the agency. The first Trump administration faced scrutiny over their management of pandemic loans, so rooting out fraud in small businesses could be a top priority. Additionally, the struggles of small business owners, such as finding affordable capital and childcare, remain a barrier to success, so Loeffler would be tasked with connecting owners with resources. The president-elect’s tariff promises are likely to increase the price of raw materials, making production costlier for small business owners. Overall, PA small businesses should brace for changes in the SBA's funding priorities However, due to its bipartisan appeal and long-term programs and loans, there will still be opportunities for businesses to receive capital.