Senate confirms Pete Buttigieg to serve as Secretary of Transportation

The Senate on Tuesday voted 86-13 to confirm Pete Buttigieg to serve as transportation secretary, making him the first openly gay person ever confirmed to a Cabinet role.

"I'm honored and humbled by today's vote in the Senate—and ready to get to work," tweeted Buttigieg, a former South Bend, Indiana mayor who mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid during the Democratic primary.

While Buttigieg has become the first openly gay individual confirmed to serve in the Cabinet, Richard Grenell, who briefly served as acting Director of National Intelligence during President Trump's tenure in office, was the first openly gay Cabinet-level official, but Grenell was not confirmed by the Senate to serve in the role.

It is anticipated that the transportation secretary post will play a central part in the president's pursuit of a bipartisan infrastructure package, according to CNN.