Primus Nominated for another STB Term

Robert E. Primus will be renominated by the Biden administration for a five-year term on the U.S. Surface Transportation board.

A Democrat, Primus, was nominated in July 2020 by the Trump administration and confirmed by the Senate in January 2021 to fill the unexpired term of Deb Miller that was to end Dec. 31, 2022.

Senate confirmation of the second Primus nomination would mean his term would run through Dec. 31, 2027. By law STB members are limited to no more than two five-year terms.

Before joining the STB, Primus worked as a congressional staff member.

The STB has five members with the current makeup being three Democrats and two Republicans.

Other Board members and the dates that their terms expire include Chairman Martin J. Oberman, Dec. 31, 2023; Patrick J. Fuchs, Jan. 17, 2024; Karen J. Hedlund, Dec. 31, 2025, and Michelle A. Schultz, Jan. 11, 2026. Fuchs and Schultz are Republican members of the board.

In an unrelated announcement, Oberman said he has appointed with the approval of the Board, Mai Dinh to serve as Director of the Office of Proceedings.

She will oversees the development of the public record in proceedings before the agency and manages the office’s legal and administrative sections.

Dinh most recently served as assistant general counsel with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she led the legal team advising the Agricultural Marketing Service.

She has administrative law experience through previous positions at the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Election Commission, and National Indian Gaming Commission. 

Tags: Robert Primus, STB members, U.S. Surface Transportation Board