President-elect Joe Biden has reportedly tapped Pete Buttigieg to lead the U.S. Transportation Department, Reuters reported.
The appointment of Buttigieg, 38who competed in the Democratic presidential primaryis another step in a meteoric political rise for the openly gay former mayor of South Bend, Indiana. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he would run a sprawling federal agency that oversees the nation's airlines, highways and transit systems.
Buttigieg would also make history as the first LGBTQ person nominated to Biden's administration and, if confirmed, the first LGBTQ Cabinet secretary to be approved by the Senate.
LGBTQ organizations praised the move. Annise Parker, president & CEO of LGBTQ Victory Institute, said in a press release, "Pete's nomination is a new milestone in a decades-long effort to ensure LGBTQ people are represented throughout our government and its impact will reverberate well-beyond the department he will lead. It distances our nation from a troubled legacy of barring out LGBTQ people from government positions and moves us closer to the president-elect's vision of a government that reflects America."
And National LGBTQ Task Force Executive Director Rea Carey said, "Our hope is that this historic first is just thatthe firstof more LGBTQ nominees at this and other levels of government service. Our community has a deep, diverse and talented bench to serve in all agencies. We know the day will come when we will have accomplished the "firsts" and can celebrate the full range of contributions made by LGBTQ people in government."