The U.S. Department of Transportation has joined the Civilian Response Corps, the U.S. government’s operational, interagency civilian force dedicated to conflict prevention, response and peace building. “The Department of Transportation brings a new range of transportation infrastructure development expertise and capabilities to the Corps,” says U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
LaHood says DOT’s experts will join colleagues from the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, as well as from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, Justice and Energy, in responding to complex crises in countries and regions critical to U.S. national security. “DOT has extensive experience in responding to crises and in supporting national security missions in countries such as Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq,” he says. “Such experience in aviation, maritime, rail and highway transportation makes the Department of Transportation a natural addition to the Civilian Response Corps.”
DOT soon will begin recruiting candidates for the Standby Component of the Civilian Response Corps, which consists of federal employees who volunteer for deployments to crisis areas when needed. “We look forward to the Department of Transportation working as a valuable partner in our stabilization and conflict prevention efforts overseas,” LaHood says.
