[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR1.24]

[Page 12-13]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
          Subtitle A--Office of the Secretary of Transportation
 
PART 1_ORGANIZATION AND DELEGATION OF POWERS AND DUTIES--Table of Contents
 
                    Subpart B_Office of the Secretary
 
Sec.  1.24  Authority.

    (a) The Deputy Secretary may exercise the authority of the 
Secretary, except where specifically limited by law, order, regulation, 
or instructions of the Secretary.
    (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

[[Page 13]]

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]