On July 23, 2025, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, chaired by Senator Ted Cruz, convened a nominations hearing for three key Department of Transportation (DOT) positions.

• Seval Oz for Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Research and Technology,
• Michael Rutherford for Assistant Secretary of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy, and
• Gregory Zerzan for General Counsel of the Department

The nominees fielded questions on agency priorities, regulatory frameworks, and the future trajectory of the nation’s transportation system.

Overview

The hearing saw active participation from the committee Democratic members Senators Maria Cantwell (WA), Brian Schatz (HI), Ben Ray Lujan (NM), and Andy Kim (NJ) outnumbering their Republican counterparts Senators Ted Cruz (TX), John Curtis (UT), and Bernie Moreno (OH), setting the tone for pointed questioning focused on technology, safety, and oversight.

Committee members underscored the critical functions of each position, with particular attention to the role of General Counsel in regulatory compliance and safety, and the need for strategic planning in the freight network. The session reflected the Committee’s ongoing interest in a federal framework for autonomous vehicles (AVs), transportation technology, safety, freight competitiveness, and global leadership.

Nominee Statements and Themes

Oz articulated a strong and focused agenda centered on advancing transportation technology and safety. Drawing on her early experience working on AVs at Google[X], the erstwhile research arm of Google, Oz highlighted her belief in the DOT’s mission to save lives, noting that up to 90% of fatalities are because of driver error, which means that (theoretically and eventually) they could be avoided with autonomous vehicles. She called for a coherent federal framework to avoid the fragmented regulatory environment that, in her view, risks ceding U.S. leadership in the field to competitors like China.

Rutherford emphasized systematic planning over ad hoc solutions for America’s freight infrastructure. He began by acknowledging how the freight office is an answer to industry lamentation that “freight doesn’t vote” with a reminder that a great deal of work lies ahead. He positioned himself as a pragmatic industry veteran, intent on identifying and addressing gaps in the proposed Draft National Multimodal Freight Network and pressing for timely updates to the nation’s freight strategic plan. Rutherford responses referenced the need for greater data sharing, transparency, and resiliency across supply chains.

Zerzan, nominated for General Counsel, adopted a candid and modest approach, openly acknowledging his limited direct experience in transportation but pledging to lean on humility, respect, and adherence to legal standards. He repeatedly underscored the importance of relying on technical experts and faithfully executing statutory mandates.

Key Exchanges and Policy Tensions

Chairman Cruz questioned Oz about the lack of a unified federal regulatory regime for autonomous vehicles, citing global competition and warning of risks to U.S. competitiveness. Oz advocated for owning the (technological) development that US began and reiterated her support for US-made technology stacks and national standards, calling attention to China’s aggressive automotive technology mandates.

Democratic members delved into safety and transparency, with Senators Lujan and Kim questioning Oz about her past roles and whether safety should ever yield to innovation—an assertion Oz rejected, clarifying her record and commitment to public safety. Sen. Lujan also challenged Zerzan on his lack of transportation experience, and in extension the current administration’s nominations in general. Senator Cantwell expressed concerns around aviation safety urging Zerzan to “come up to speed” on aviation issues.

Rutherford faced bipartisan questions about addressing competing needs of shippers and carriers (Cruz), investment needs for infrastructure (Cantwell), and the tricky balance of meeting both national and state priorities (Curtis). He advocated for resolving congestion and scoring efficiency gains that are self-reinforcing, suggested investments across the ecosystem and not just ports, and pointed out how the national freight strategic plan can help identify and support unique state needs.

A few other specific concerns also surfaced during the hearing. Sen. Schatz requested Zerzan’s commitment to three matters – streamlining pending grant reviews, addressing tribal matters with due regard, and protecting aviation consumers through rulemaking. Zerzan affirmed his commitment, sympathizing with the challenge of dealing with grants-related backlogs and working with tribal communities. Sen. Moreno’s concern was directed towards Oz and stemmed from how AVs could potentially displace personal vehicle ownership and the associated freedom of choice. Oz maintained that Americans deserve continued choice in vehicle ownership and powertrains, casting doubt on the rapid emergence of full vehicle autonomy, also called Level 5, in the near term.

In summary, each nominee’s approach — Oz’s visionary agenda, Rutherford’s operational pragmatism, and Zerzan’s emphasis on legal fidelity — were as diverse as the roles each one of them is going to fill. Overall, the hearing was another demonstration of continued, bipartisan interest on both sides of the Hill in fostering innovation and accountability to ensure America’s transportation system remains world-class and safe.

The Commerce Committee is scheduled to meet again on July 30 to vote on these three nominees as well as the nominees for NHTSA, FMCSA, and PHMSA Administrator, in the hope of getting some of these and other pending DOT nominees confirmed as part of a large package of nominations before the month-long August recess.