While some of President-elect Trump's Cabinet nominees faced sharp questioning this week, Sean Duffy received a friendly welcome in his confirmation hearing to be secretary of transportation.

Former congressman Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to head the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, navigated a smooth path through his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan.15, fielding questions on the range of issues that a DOT secretary would face, including some that deal with infrastructure.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, said the committee received 44 letters from advocacy and business groups organizations in support of Duffy's nomination. Some of the groups supporting Duffy, according to a list distributed by the committee, are major players in the auto industry.