White House Officials Stand By Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin Amid Pressure to Resign Over Delayed Hospital Notice

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

69% : Following U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's delayed notification of his recent hospitalization to government officials, questions have been raised about whether the top Department of Defense official violated any laws or regulations that warrant disciplinary actions.
59% : Now, Congress has called on the Department of Defense officials to answer myriads of questions regarding procedures, and some members have even called for his resignation.
50% : "The Pentagon, serving as the headquarters of the Department of Defense, must adhere to a law called the Federal Vacancies Reform Act.
49% : The secretary of defense is responsible for policy development, planning, resource management, and program evaluation for the military.
48% : Several Republican senators from various states who serve on the Committee on Armed Services, including Florida Sen. Rick Scott, wrote a letter on Wednesday accusing the Department of Defense of violating a law that requires executive agencies to notify Congress of absences.
47% : As a result, the congressional committee demanding Department of Defense officials brief Congress no later than Jan. 19 "to begin rebuilding trust with Congress and the American people," the letter says.
47% : The secretary of defense serves as the head of the U.S. Department of Defense and the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces and is a high-ranking federal cabinet member.
39% : [The] Government Accountability Office issues letters to the President and Congress reporting violations of the act's time limitations and issues decisions on agency compliance with the act when requested by Congress," the law says.

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