WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Buttigieg, newly sworn in as transportation secretary, is urging his 55,000 employees to embrace “imaginative, bold, forward thinking” as the Transportation Department embarks on a vital mission to rebuild America’s infrastructure and foster equality. In an email message to employees, which was obtained by The Associated Press, Buttigieg said the department will continue to prioritize safety. But he says he looks forward to working with them to “break new ground” to help the economy rebuild, fight the climate crisis and and make sure “transportation is an engine for equity in this country.” Buttigieg, a 39-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was sworn in as transportation secretary Wednesday morning by Vice President Kamala Harris.
