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The Senate Commerce Committee on Jan. 24 approved the nomination of��Elaine Chao to be Secretary of Transportation.

WASHINGTON — Mike Pence, just days ahead of being sworn in as the country’s new vice president, assured hundreds gathered for the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ annual meeting that Donald Trump will follow through with an infrastructure plan.

Investments in infrastructure are needed across every level of government to accommodate the massive increases in truck traffic and freight demand over three decades, outgoing Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx indicated in his final report as head of the agency.

A new coalition of shippers and retailers led by UPS Inc., FedEx Corp. and Amazon.com plans to call on members of Congress to support the nationwide access of twin 33-foot trailers, a move likely to ignite a contentious debate among lawmakers during the 115th Congress.

Senate Democrats envision agreeing with Republican leaders to proceed relatively soon with a floor vote that would confirm Elaine Chao, President-elect Donald Trump’s designee to manage the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Democrats’ leader told reporters Jan. 19.

WASHINGTON��— The co-author of President-elect Donald Trump’s infrastructure proposal told senators that enhancing transportation networks would produce high-paying jobs. On trade, he added that the new administration would quickly examine the North American Free Trade Agreement.

WASHINGTON��— The country’s next vice president arrived at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ annual meeting Jan. 17 to deliver a message from, who else, President-elect Donald Trump.

WASHINGTON��— The country’s mayors are prepared to work with the Trump administration on measures aimed at significantly increasing funding for infrastructure projects, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said at the group’s annual meeting on Jan. 17.

What will a new president and new Congress mean for metropolitan Washington, D.C.'s efforts to upgrade its infrastructure? Mike Sakata of the Metropolitan Washington Road & Transportation Builders Association offers insight in this week's Capitol Agenda, which also looks at a revived effort to allow twin 33s on federal highways.