; (2) the head of an agency or an official of any agency authorized by the President pursuant to a designation of such authority in the Federal Register; and (3) an official of the Federal Government to whom authority to classify information originally has been delegated pursuant to subsection (c). (b) Scope of authority An individual authorized by this section to classify information originally at a specified level may also classify the information originally at a lower level. (c) Delegation of original classification authority An official of the Federal Government may be delegated original classification authority subject to the following: (1) Delegation of original classification authority shall be limited to the minimum required to administer this section. Agency heads shall be responsible for ensuring that designated subordinate officials have a demonstrable and continuing need to exercise this authority. (2) Authority to originally classify information at the level designated as Top Secret may be delegated only by the President, in the performance of executive duties, the Vice President, or an agency head or official designated pursuant to subsection (a)(2). (3) Authority to originally classify information at the level designated as Secret or Confidential may be delegated only by the President, in the performance of executive duties, the Vice President, or an agency head or official designated pursuant to subsection (a)(2), or the senior agency official described in section 5.4(d) of Executive Order 13526 ( 50 U.S.C. 3161 note