This week, the White House laid out new guidelines for when cabinet heads are unable to perform their duties and must delegate authority.
The new rules come after revelations earlier this month that the Pentagon failed to notify the White House for several days that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized and underwent surgery for prostate cancer in late December. was introduced.
In the wake of the communications fiasco and some calls for Austin to resign, the White House conducted a review and required Cabinet members to undergo a notification process before unveiling new guidelines on Friday. .
The guidelines, obtained by Fox News, include notifying the Cabinet Secretariat and the White House Chief of Staff “when an agency anticipates or prepares for a transfer of authority, and again when a transfer of authority occurs.” The transfer of authority is documented in writing. It is effective, according to a memo sent by Chief of Staff Jeff Zients to the Cabinet secretaries and acting authorities should contact their White House counterparts.
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Last month, when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized for surgery for prostate cancer, the Pentagon did not notify the White House for several days. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Notably, Zients' memo also states that ministers “have limited or inaccessible means of communication, are undergoing a medical procedure requiring hospitalization or general anesthesia, or are otherwise It adds that delegation of authority is also necessary “when you are in a situation where you may be exposed to danger.” Unreachable. ”
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Austin was first admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Dec. 22 for prostate surgery, but was returned to the hospital a week later after developing an infection.
The White House was notified days in advance, and Congress, the press, and the public were only informed of the incident on January 5th.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland (Samuel Corum/Getty Images/File)
On Friday, Austin visited his doctor at Walter Reed Hospital “for a post-prostatectomy monitoring appointment.”
Walter Reed, Dr. John Maddox and Dr. Gregory Chesnutt said in a statement that Austin “continues to make an uneventful recovery and is expected to make a full recovery.”
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“Secretary Austin's prostate cancer was treated early and effectively, and his prognosis is good. Other than scheduled physical therapy and regular follow-up appointments after his prostatectomy, his future cancer treatment plans are there is no.”
U.S. defense officials told Fox News on Friday that Austin is expected to return to the Pentagon on Monday after recovering from surgery and working from home since Jan. 15.
