Statement by the President on Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood

I want to thank Secretary LaHood for his dedication, his hard work, and his years of service to the American people – including the outstanding work he’s done over the last four years as Secretary of Transportation.  I also want to thank Ray for his friendship.  Years ago, we were drawn together by a shared belief that those of us in public service owe an allegiance not to party or faction, but to the people we were elected to represent.  And Ray has never wavered in that belief.  As Secretary of Transportation, he has fought to create jobs and grow our economy by rebuilding our roads, bridges and transit systems.   Under his leadership, we have made significant investments in our passenger rail system and laid the groundwork for the high-speed rail network of the future.  And every American who travels by air, rail or highway can thank Ray for his commitment to making our entire transportation system safer and stronger.  I am grateful to Ray for everything he’s done, and I wish him only the best going forward.