Buttigieg pushes back on McConnell criticism of ‘woke initiatives’

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday pushed back after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) criticized him for focusing on what the GOP leader called “woke initiatives” over the recent train derailment and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio.

“Even amidst a catalog of crises on his watch, from this and other recent train derailments to the meltdown in air travel back during the holiday season, Secretary Buttigieg has seemed more interested in pursuing press coverage for woke initiatives and climate nonsense than in attending to basic elements of his day job,” McConnell had said on the Senate floor.

Buttigieg on “CNN This Morning” hit back, saying McConnell “was there celebrating” the Brent Spence Bridge connecting Kentucky and Ohio over the Ohio River, a Biden administration infrastructure initiative affecting the Senate minority leader’s home state.

McConnell and other home-state senators and governors joined President Biden as he touted funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law during a trip to the area in January.

“I would not call the Brent Spence Bridge a ‘woke initiative,’ ” Buttigieg said Tuesday. “As for climate, climate is not nonsense. Dealing with climate change is one of the biggest things that people like me, and people like him will be remembered for after we’re gone.”

The Transportation secretary stressed that McConnell, as caucus leader in the Senate, “could be a partner” to the administration “in making sure that there are fewer rail disasters in the future.”

“As I mentioned earlier, the rail — the freight rail industry — has wielded a lot of power here in Washington. I would love to see Leader McConnell join us in standing up to them. There are specific things that could be done right now … He could work with us right now,” Buttigieg said.

He listed raising the cap on fines against railroads in violation of safety regulations and speeding up the timeline for bringing in tank cars fortified against spillage in the case of a derailment.

“So if [McConnell] is serious about this, if anyone, Republican or Democrat or Independent, is serious about this, they can work with us today,” Buttigieg said.

The Cabinet member has come under fire for the Biden administration’s response to the East Palestine derailment, which followed scrutiny facing the Transportation head over widespread air travel delays and FAA issues this winter.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.