Biden Administration Sets New Rules for Cabinet Authority Transfers After Austin Hospitalization Kept Secret
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New White House guidelines require Cabinet members to notify the president if authority is delegated due to hospitalization or other unavailability.
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The new rules come after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin kept his recent hospitalization and authority transfer secret from Biden.
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Departments now must notify the White House when preparing for or enacting a delegation of authority.
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The rules state delegations must happen if a Cabinet member undergoes general anesthesia or is unreachable.
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Biden felt this situation "shouldn't happen again" so the administration swiftly set new protocols for all agencies.