Pete Buttigieg becomes first openly gay person confirmed to US cabinet

• Former mayor approved as transportation secretary by Senate
• Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed as homeland security secretary

Pete Buttigieg won Senate approval on Tuesday as transportation secretary, the first out gay person to be confirmed to a cabinet post. He will be tasked with advancing Joe Biden's ambitious agenda of rebuilding the nation's infrastructure and fighting climate change.

Buttigieg, a 39-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Biden's one-time rival during the Democratic presidential primaries, was approved on an 86-13 vote.