WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to appear before Congress on Thursday to testify about why it took him so long to notify administration officials about his hospitalization and stay in the intensive care unit following complications from prostate cancer surgery.
The House Armed Services Committee hearing comes after several lawmakers have called for Austin’s resignation over the incident. The hearing is set to begin at 10 a.m. ET.
Austin, 70, underwent a medical procedure related to prostate cancer at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Dec. 22. He went home a day later and was admitted to intensive care Jan. 1 when he began experiencing severe pain.
Senior military officials and White House officials, including President Joe Biden, weren’t informed of his condition until several days later.
Earlier this month, Austin acknowledged communication mistakes and said he should’ve handled the incident better. He added his decision was more about privacy than secrecy.
The Pentagon released a review revealing there had been no deliberate attempt by Austin or his aides to keep the hospitalization secret. Additionally, the report noted policies for transferring Austin’s responsibilities during an emergency must be improved.
The review didn’t provide additional details on what was already known about the timeline of Austin’s hospitalization.
Thursday’s hearing will be the first time Austin has testified on Capitol Hill since last fall.
