U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church, Tuesday issued the following statement after the Senate voted to confirm the nomination of Pete Buttigieg to serve as Secretary of Transportation: 

“For the first time ever, the U.S. Senate has voted to confirm the appointment of an openly gay American, Pete Buttigieg, to lead a Cabinet department. This is a major milestone in American history. Secretary Pete’s confirmation is also a win for a country in need of skilled and creative leadership to build our crumbling infrastructure back better, with a focus on creating good paying jobs, supporting workers, fighting the climate crisis, and promoting equity. I look forward to seeing what he will accomplish in the time to come.”