On Friday, June 23, the U.S. Department of Transportation released a letter from Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta addressed to President Bush in which the secretary announced his intent to resign effective July 7.
The letter does not give a specific reason for Mineta’s resignation, other than to say "it is time for me to move on to other challenges." As the only Democrat in Bush’s cabinet, Mineta thanked the President for crossing party lines. "Working with you has been particularly rewarding and most gratifying, especially since I have been able to do so with your full support and confidence," he stated in the letter.
Before he joined President Bush’s administration, Mineta, 74, served as secretary of commerce under President Clinton.
