(a) All powers and duties that are not delegated by the Secretary in this part, or otherwise vested in officials other than the Secretary, are reserved to the Secretary. Except as otherwise provided, the Secretary may exercise powers and duties delegated or assigned to officials other than the Secretary.

(b) The delegations of authority in subpart C (Office of the Inspector General) and subpart D (Operating Administrations) of this part do not extend to the following actions, authority for which is reserved to the Secretary or the Secretary's delegatee within the Office of the Secretary:

(1) General transportation matters.

(i) Transportation leadership authority pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 301 (Duties of the Secretary of Transportation: Leadership, consultation, and cooperation).

(ii) Functions relating to transportation activities, plans, and programs under 49 U.S.C. 304 (Joint activities with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development).

(iii) Authority to develop, prepare, coordinate, transmit, and revise transportation investment standards and criteria under 49 U.S.C. 305 (Transportation investment standards and criteria).

(iv) Authority relating to standard time zones and advanced (daylight) time (15 U.S.C. 260 et seq.).

(2) Legislation, rulemakings, and reports. (i) Submission to the President, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, or Congress of proposals or recommendations for legislation, significant rulemakings and related documents as authorized by law, Executive Orders, proclamations or reorganization plans, or other Presidential action.

(ii) Submission to the President or Congress of any report or any proposed transportation policy or investment standards or criteria, except with the prior written approval of the Secretary.

(iii) Submission of the annual statement on systems of internal accounting and administrative control under the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act of 1982 (FMFIA) (31 U.S.C. 3512 note).

(3) Budget and finance. (i) Approval and submission to the Office of Management and Budget of original or amended budget estimates or requests for allocations of personnel ceiling (31 U.S.C. 1108).

(ii) Approval of requests for legislation which, if enacted, would authorize subsequent appropriations for the Department (31 U.S.C. 581b).

(iii) Transfer of the balance of an appropriation from one operating element to another within the Department (31 U.S.C. 581c).

(iv) Submission to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget of requests for the transfer of the balance or portions of an appropriation from one element to another within the Department (31 U.S.C. 665).

(4) Personnel. (i) Recommendations to the Office of Personnel Management regarding the allocation of a position to the Senior Executive Service (SES) or Senior Level (SL), or Scientific and Professional Positions (ST) (5 U.S.C. 5108).

(ii) Recommendations to the Office of Personnel Management of approval of the qualifications of any candidate for a position in the SES or SL.

(iii) Recommendations to the Office of Personnel Management of a Lump-Sum Incentive Award in Excess of $10,000 (5 U.S.C. 4502).

(iv) Approval of the following actions relating to Schedules A, B, C, or D (5 CFR part 213) and noncareer executive assignment positions or incumbents, except for actions under Schedules A and B limited to one year or less at grade GS-9 or lower, or an equivalent level:

(A) Establishment or abolition of positions;

(B) Hires;

(C) Promotions other than quality and periodic within-grade promotions;

(D) Transfer of personnel to Schedule A, B, C, or D positions or non-career executive assignment positions, either permanently or on detail; and

(E) Transfer of personnel from Schedule A, B, C, or D or non-career executive assignment positions to career Civil Service positions.

(v) Approval of employment of experts or consultants.

(vi) Authority to determine the maximum limit of age for appointment of air traffic controllers as provided by 5 U.S.C. 3307(b).

(vii) Authority to develop, coordinate, and issue wage schedules under the Federal Wage system.

(5) Security. (i) Authorizing the filling of a critical-sensitive position for a limited period by a person on whom a preappointment full field investigation has not been completed (Executive Order 10450) as amended and Executive Order 12968 as amended by Executive Order 13467.

(ii) Requesting Presidential approval of a claim of executive privilege with respect to information requested by a Congressional committee or Member of Congress.

(iii) Making determinations prescribed by Executive Order 12968 as amended by Executive Order 13467 and 32 CFR part 147 relating to the adjudication and final denial of access to classified information to industry personnel.

(iv) Making those determinations or delegations prescribed by Executive Order 13526 that are reserved to the head of the Department.

(6) Procurement. Exercising the extraordinary authority for defense contracts provided for in Pub. L. 85-804 [(50 U.S.C. 1431-1435)].

(7) Printing. Requesting approval of the Joint Committee on Printing for any procurement or other action requiring Committee approval.

(8) Interagency agreements. Executing any written interdepartmental or interagency agreement with the head of another executive department or agency.

(9) Withholding of funds. Withholding or suspension of Federal-Aid Highway funds on a state-wide basis and the waiver or compromise of such withholding or suspension, except for the administration of 23 U.S.C. 141, 158, 159, 161, and 163 which are specifically delegated in §§ 1.85 (FHWA) and 1.95 (NHTSA).

(10) National Highway Safety Advisory Committee. Directing the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee to meet (23 U.S.C. 404(c)).

(11) Maritime Subsidy Board. Reviewing decisions, reports, orders and other actions of the Maritime Subsidy Board.

(12) Cash purchases of passenger transportation. The authority under 41 CFR 301-51.100 to authorize and approve cash purchases for emergency passenger transportation services costing more than $100.

(13) Solicitation of gifts. The implied authority to solicit gifts associated with 49 U.S.C. 326(a).

(14) Foreign travel. Approving official travel outside of the United States.

(15) United States Merchant Marine Academy. Pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 51303, the authority to appoint each year without competition as cadets at the United States Merchant Marine Academy not more than 40 qualified individuals with qualities the Secretary considers to be of special value to the Academy.

(16) Challenges and competitions. Approving any challenge or competition administered by any office or Operating Administration of the Department.

(17) Committees. Approving the establishment, modification, extension, or termination of all advisory committees (including industry advisory committees) subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92-463; 5 U.S.C. App.), and the designation of Departmental representatives to those committees.

(18) Credit assistance approval. Granting final approval of applications for credit assistance under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), 23 U.S.C. 601-609.