1.24—Authority.
(a)
The Deputy Secretary: (1) May exercise the authority of the Secretary, except where specifically limited by law, order, regulation, or instructions of the Secretary; and (2) serves as the Chief Acquisition Officer.
(b)
Acting in his or her own name and title, each Assistant Secretary, the Inspector General, or the General Counsel, within his or her sphere of responsibility, is authorized to identify and define the requirements for, and to recommend to the Secretary, new or revised Departmental policies, plans, and proposals. Each of these officers is authorized to issue Departmental standards, criteria, systems and procedures that are consistent with applicable laws, Executive Orders, Government-wide regulations and policies established by the Secretary, and to inspect, review, and evaluate Departmental program performance and effectiveness and advise the Secretary regarding the adequacy thereof.
(c)
Except for nondelegable statutory duties, including those which devolve as a result of succession to act as Secretary of Transportation, each Deputy Assistant Secretary, the Deputy Inspector General, and the Deputy General Counsel is authorized to act for and perform the duties of his or her principal in the absence or disability of the principal and as otherwise directed by the principal.
(d) Inspector General.
The Inspector General shall report to and be under the general supervision of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary. In accordance with the statutory intent of the Inspector General Act to create an independent and objective unit, the Inspector General is authorized to make such investigations and reports relating to the administration of the programs and operations of the Department as are, in the judgment of the Inspector General, necessary and desirable. Neither the Secretary nor the Deputy Secretary shall prevent or prohibit the Inspector General from initiating, carrying out, or completing any audit or investigation, or from issuing any subpoena during the course of any audit or investigation.
[Amdt. 1-113, 40 FR 43901, Sept. 24, 1975, as amended by Amdt. 1-157, 45 FR 83404, Dec. 18, 1980; 69 FR 60563, Oct. 12, 2004]