Transportation Secretary LaHood to Resign at End of Term

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 14, 2011 2:00PM

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced his intentions to step down from his post at the end of President Obama's current term.

The Illinois Republican accepted Obama's invitation to serve on his Cabinet and was a wise choice. LaHood had a reputation in Congress of being a moderate who tried to find common ground between Republicans and Democrats. His appointment also served as an early notice from the President to Republicans he intended to do the same. LaHood earned praise from transportation advocates for his no-nonsense talk on safer driving, allotting more federal dollars to the creation of bike lanes and developing transportation projects as job creators. LaHood adopted a policy for the Transportation Department to give equal measure to projects involving bicycles and walking to those involving motorized vehicles, regarding grant eligibility.

But LaHood's skills as a negotiator hit a brick wall in GOP obstructionism.