Pete Buttigieg, Transport Secretary, has been on paternity since mid-August after adopting two children. With a major supply chain crisis looming over the nation, his prolonged absence has been attached from various quarters.
Pete Buttigieg has adopted a son and a daughter along with Chasten, his husband. He has been on paid leave even as a truck driver crisis and blockages in ports have messed up the supply chain and caused soaring shipping costs as dozens of container ships cannot enter the ports across the country. Shelves across the US have been left empty due to the mess.
Pete Buttigieg has been offline most of the time except to attend major agency decisions as such matters cannot be delegated. But it appears that he will continue to be absent over the next few weeks to support his husband and take care of their adopted children.
Senator Rick Scott has called on Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Buttigieg to testify before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Senator Cynthia Lummis has said that the Department of Transportation can do more to help alleviate the present supply chain logjams. She expressed concern over the lack of purpose in the administration in using the existing authority to help consumers and businesses return to a state of normalcy.
Ways and Means Committee member, Representative Kevin Brady has added that the actions of the administration in addressing the issue fell way beyond the necessary date and were lacking in purpose.
Pete Buttigieg Defends His Action Of Taking Leave To Take Care Of Their Children
Pete Buttigieg has defended his leave says it was working and not a vacation. But he has failed to offer any new solutions to the urgent situation. Cargo ships continue to idle off the ports of America leaving shelves empty ahead of the festive season.
He instead warned that several of the challenges that Americans are facing at this moment could continue into the next year. but he said that there remain several short-term and long-term moves that will help partially solve the problem.
Critics have drawn a parallel between this crisis and the border crisis. Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security Secretary, and the Vice President, Kamala Harris have been similarly accused of doing nothing to stop the influx of illegal immigrants even as the situation threatens to go out of hand.
