Governmental Affairs

About Governmental Affairs

The Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs is the principal advisor to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary and senior staff with respect to legislative affairs, Congressional relations, and policy matters affecting Federal, state and local governments, and public and private interest groups.

The Office is responsible for coordinating Congressional and intergovernmental relations activities involving modal offices to ensure the effective and accurate presentation of the Department’s views. The Office cooperates with the Office of General Counsel, the Office of Transportation Policy, and modal offices in developing the Department’s position on all relevant legislative matters.

The Office coordinates the presentation of the Department’s legislative and budget programs to the Congress. It monitors and responds to the DOT-related activities of the Department’s Congressional oversight, authorizing, and appropriations committees. It is also the principal Departmental advocate before Congress for DOT’s legislative initiatives and other legislative matters. In this regard, the Office ensures that all testimony and responses to Congressional inquiries are consistent with the Secretary’s and the Administration’s views.

The Office is also responsible for developing constructive, working relationships with state and locally elected officials and their associations such as the National Governors Association, the National Association of Counties, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.  Equally as important, the Office cultivates and enhances relations with national and local organizations, public and private groups, and state organizations to promote DOT policies that benefit our nation. 

Requests for Information

The Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs is the principal advisor to the Secretary, Deputy Secretary and senior staff with respect to legislative affairs, Congressional relations, and policy matters affecting Federal, state and local governments, and public and private interest groups.  The Office is responsible for coordinating Congressional and intergovernmental relations activities involving OAs,  cooperates with internal DOT organizations in developing the Department’s position on all relevant legislative matters, and coordinates the presentation of the Department’s legislative and budget programs to the Congress.

Upon receipt of a Congressional inquiry addressed to the Secretary, the Office of Governmental Affairs forwards the correspondence to the Department’s Executive Secretariat to assign the action item to the appropriate office or OA.  The Executive Secretariat reviews draft responses to inquiries,  circulates the information between all relevant offices for review, and tracks the correspondence to ensure timely responses.  The final response letter is signed by the Secretary or OA Administrator and then mailed via the United States Postal Service.  Finally, the Office of Governmental Affairs  forwards an electronic copy of the letter to the Congressional office that made the inquiry. 

Through the Governmental Affairs Office, DOT develops constructive working relationships with state and local officials, Tribal entities, and transportation stakeholders.  Equally as important, DOT cultivates and enhances relations with national and local organizations, public and private groups, and state organizations to promote DOT policies that benefit our nation