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(Photo: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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Mary Peters, a former federal highway administrator, was tapped by President Bush to replace Norman Mineta. Peters was confirmed by the Senate on Sept. 30, 2006 and sworn in on Oct. 4. Peters served as Arizona's transportation director before serving as head of the Federal Highway Administration under President Bush. Peters' priorities are improving transportation safety, increasing reliability and productivity and taking a fresh look at programs and funding for ground transportation and then aviation.
Mineta resigned effective July 17, 2006. Mineta, 74, was plagued with back problems during his tenure as transportation secretary and spent months working from home and the hospital. But he has since recovered, and Snow offered no explanation of why he decided to leave now. Mineta was the first Democrat nominated to the Bush Cabinet. Held in a Wyoming internment camp as a child during World War II, he went on to serve as a California congressman for 20 years and served as chair of the House Transportation Committee for two years. He became the first Asian-American to hold a Cabinet job when he was selected by President Clinton to fill a vacancy created when William Daley became Al Gore's campaign manager.
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