The U.S. Senate voted unanimously last week to approve the nominations of Peter Rogoff as administrator of the Federal Transit Administration and John Porcari as deputy secretary of transportation.

Rogoff is an acknowledged expert in the area of federal infrastructure budgeting and finance, having had an active role in the financing of each of the last three comprehensive surface transportation reauthorization bills dating back to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. He served for 22 years on the staff of the Senate Appropriations Committee, including 14 years as the Democratic Staff Director of its Transportation Subcommittee.

In his previous position as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, Porcari was responsible for motor vehicle registration and the highway, transit, aviation and maritime modes of the state's transportation system. Porcari also serves as chairman of the entity responsible for operating the state's bridge and tunnel facilities. He was in his second tour as Secretary, having previously served in this capacity from 1999 to 2002.