In a dramatic bipartisan showdown that felt more like a family reunion than a Senate vote, Sean Duffy was confirmed as Transportation Secretary, promising to tackle everything from rail safety to restoring trust in Boeing, while juggling nine kids.

Duffy's confirmation comes at a critical time for U.S. transportation, as he faces the daunting task of overseeing a $110 billion budget and more than 55,000 employees while trying to restore confidence in aviation safety and improve rail infrastructure after recent disasters. With bipartisan support of 77 to 22, Duffy's approach—combining his experience as a former congressman and a family man navigating the chaos of nine kids—suggests a new kind of leadership: one that might just messily reboot America's infrastructure as well as any family road trip.

Before the vote, Duffy gracefully danced through the Senate Commerce Committee hearings like an old pro at a school play, demonstrating enthusiasm that could only be rivaled by a parent on the first day of school. His ability to court support managed to earn him accolades from both sides of the aisle, snagging the admiration of 24 Democratic senators, which must have felt like a double cookie in the school lunch: a surprising treat no one quite expected.

Having previously represented Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District, Duffy approached his role with an understanding that being at the helm of transportation means accepting full responsibility when things go off the rails—literally. In an interesting twist of fate, he invoked the air traffic controller shortage and highway safety during his testimony, displaying an awareness of issues that affect the daily commutes and air travel of his fellow Americans. Because nothing says 'I care' quite like a parent promising to fix the family car's brakes while also attempting to secure a plane ride from chaos.

In his confirmation hearing, Duffy emphasized a profound truth: 'No federal agency impacts Americans’ daily lives and loved ones like the Department of Transportation.' A statement so powerful it could easily become a family motto if one were to glance at the Duffy home life, where daily traffic jams of children competing for attention might serve as a fitting metaphor for his new role. And let’s not forget the visual spectacle: nine children attending the hearing, eliciting a blend of admiration and bewilderment. Clearly, managing nine kids and a huge governmental responsibility might be two sides of the same coin.

Duffy’s ambitious plans for his tenure include a strong focus on rail safety, particularly in the wake of the Norfolk Southern train derailment, a disaster that no doubt struck fear into the hearts of families who like to play their favorite train games—while also hoping that real-life trains don’t take any sudden detours. His attention to rail safety underscores his understanding of an often-overlooked aspect of transportation, which can sometimes feel like the eldest child vying for attention amidst a raucous sibling chorus.

Furthermore, Duffy has committed to an agenda that embraces the future of transportation, including plans to utilize funds from Biden's 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to expand EV charging infrastructure. This push for electric vehicles parallels the divergence of a family road trip — everyone has their preferred route, and average-minded reasoning often goes out the window, replaced with indecision over which way to go. But unlike a family that can get lost on the way to grandma’s house, Duffy has expressed earnestness in ensuring that fuel stations don’t feel as sparse as Wi-Fi signals on a camping trip.

The flagship of Duffy's plan must surely be rebuilding Interstate 40, an undertaking as ambitious as any parent’s effort to maintain order during summer break. With Hurricane Helene having caused damage resembling a sibling rivalry gone wrong, Duffy aims to restore the route with a vision that will revive infrastructure like a refreshing family trip to a theme park—minus the overpriced corn dogs. His commitment to tackling these tasks amidst a looming infrastructure crisis shows potential, but will he come out unscathed when the inevitable delays arise from both nature and bureaucracy? We can only observe their family calendar—err, Congressional schedule.

President Trump weighed in, showering Duffy with confidence that he would prioritize 'Excellence, Competence, Competitiveness, and Beauty' as if those weren’t standard resume words that caused ennui in any workplace setting. Duffy definitely feels the pressure of managing a budget of roughly $110 billion, a number that makes parental oversight during a chaotic toy-strewn household look somewhat tame by comparison. Helping families navigate the transportation landscape while his own family poses for epic support photo ops feels like quite the balancing act.

As Duffy embarks on his journey as Transportation Secretary, it is promising to see someone with a depth of experience from both public service and the wild world of parenting. Whether he sails into transportation excellence or encounters a few bumps along the way, we can assume his priority will be making every American feel as comfortable as he does while carpooling with his delightful entourage of nine. At the end of the day, the true victory might just lie in how smoothly things go—or how entertaining the mishaps become. After all, the country and the children are not so different: they both need guidance, attention, and occasionally, a distraction to keep things rolling along smoothly.