DOT chief Ray LaHood resigns
Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, the last Republican in President Obama’s cabinet, announced on Tuesday that he was leaving his position after four years at the helm of the often embattled governmental agency.
In a statement to DOT employees, LaHood said he would not be serving a second term and that he planned to stay on until a successor is named. He did not give a reason for his resignation other than "you should go out while they are applauding."
In his letter, LaHood said the position was the "best job" he had ever had. He cited his accomplishments with the agency, highlighting his often criticized Distracted Driving and High Speed Rail initiatives. LaHood often angered fellow Republicans, some of whom believed his willingness to spend government funds for public initiatives went against party lines.
The White House has not yet made a public statement regarding possible replacements. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (a proponent of high speed rail), Debbie Hersman, the chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board and Rep. Jim Oberstar of Minnesota, who led the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are all widely regarded as contenders.
Gretchen Kelly
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025
Marginal increase for New York City tourism in 2025
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments