I imagine that usually they can’t. Cabinet secretaries aren’t approved by the Senate prior to inauguration day so they can’t designate a disaster replacement. Gates is an exception. Should something massive happen at the Capitol then he’d be it.
>>I imagine that usually they can’t. Cabinet secretaries aren’t approved by the Senate prior to inauguration day so they can’t designate a disaster replacement. Gates is an exception. Should something massive happen at the Capitol then he’d be it.<<
That makes sense.