Lawmakers set to grill Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over secret hospitalization

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is appearing before members of Congress on Thursday to answer questions about his days-long delay in notifying President Joe Biden and lawmakers of his secret hospitalization after his cancer diagnosis.

Austin is expected to come under heavy scrutiny when he appears before the House Armed Services Committee. Several Republican lawmakers had called on Austin to resign over the incident.

In prepared opening remarks before the committee, Austin acknowledged that Congress has “some legitimate concerns about some issues” around his recent illness.

After thanking lawmakers who offered well wishes to him during his hospitalization, Austin said his doctors expect him to be “completely cured of my prostate cancer, which was caught early,” and that he continues to “recover well.”

Austin then stressed that “there was never any lapse in authorities or in command and control” during his hospitalization, noting that either he or Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks carried out duties of his office, before acknowledging that there was a “breakdown in notifications.”

“Again, we did not handle this right. And I did not handle this right,” he said. “And as you know, I have apologized, including directly to the President. And I take full responsibility.”

Austin said he had “never intended” to keep his hospitalization from the White House or anyone else, and that the Department of Defense “immediately instituted changes that authorities can be temporarily transferred” to his deputy as well as notifications are made.

“Now, even before the 30-day review, we had already made some key changes. In the future, if the deputy secretary ever needs to temporarily assume the duties of my office, she and several White