U.S. DOT HQ Named for Coleman, Mineta

President Joseph Biden has signed legislation to name the U.S. Department of Transportation’s headquarters in Washington the “William T. Coleman, Jr. and Norman Y. Mineta Federal Building.”

The naming honors two former secretaries of transportation. The building is located at 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Coleman served between 1975 and 1977 and was the first first African American to run the agency. He died on March 31, 2017.

Mineta, who served between 2001 and 2006, was the first Asian American to head USDOT. He died on May 3 shortly before Biden signed the bill.

DOT Building May be Named for 2 Leaders

The U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters building in Washington may be named for two former transportation secretaries.

The U.S. Senate on April 6 passed a bill calling for the naming of the DOT building the “William T. Coleman, Jr. and Norman Y. Mineta Federal Building.”

The legislation has been sent to President Joesph Biden for his consideration. The DOT headquarters is located at 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE

Coleman served as secretary of transportation between 1975 and 19877 and was the first African American to hold the position.

Mineta was transportation secretary between 2001 and 2006 and was first Asian American to serve in the post.

The bill had bipartisan support from the chairs and ranking members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; and the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Coleman, who died on March 31, 2017, at one time served as legal counsel for the cities of Cincinnati and Philadelphia, and as a special counsel for Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority.

Mineta, a Democrat from California who served in the U.S. House from 1975 to 1995, was the longest-serving leader in USDOT history and the first cabinet member to switch directly from a Democratic Cabinet (as Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton) to a Republican Cabinet (as Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush).