1.25—Relationships.
(a) Normal staff role.
Normally, the functions of the Assistant Secretaries are staff and advisory in nature. In performing their functions, the Assistant Secretaries are responsible for continuing liaison and coordination among themselves and with the operating administrations to:
(1)
Avoid unnecessary duplication of effort by or in conflict with the performance of similar activities by the operating administrations and the other Assistant Secretaries pursuant to their Secretarial delegations of authority; and
(2)
Assure that the views of the operating administrations are considered in developing Departmental policies, plans, and proposals.
The Assistant Secretaries are also available to assist, as appropriate, the operating administrations in implementing Departmental policy and programs. As primary staff advisors to the Secretary, the Assistant Secretaries are concerned with transportation matters of the broadest scope, including modal, intermodal, and other matters of Secretarial interest.
(b) Exceptions.
There are exceptions to the normal staff role described in paragraph (a) of this section. In selected instances, the Secretary has specifically delegated to Assistant Secretaries authority which they may exercise on the Secretary's behalf. For example, the Secretary has delegated authority to the Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy and the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, as appropriate, to decide on most requests to intervene or appear before administrative agencies, subject to the concurrence of the General Counsel. Also, from time to time, activities of an operational character may be delegated to an Assistant Secretary when the nature of the function or its stage of development makes it untimely to effect assignment to an operating administration.
[Amdt. 1-113, 40 FR 43901, Sept. 24, 1975, as amended by Amdt. 1-157, 45 FR 83405, Dec. 18, 1980; Amdt. 1-261, 59 FR 10063, Mar. 3, 1994]