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Presidential Succession. Libertyville HS. Sources for Succession. Constitution Article II, Section 1, paragraph 6 (as amended) 20th Amendment If president dies before taking office, VP takes over as president 25th Amendment VP to become pres if… Pres dead, resignation
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PresidentialSuccession Libertyville HS
SourcesforSuccession • Constitution • Article II, Section 1, paragraph 6 (as amended) • 20th Amendment • If president dies before taking office, VP takes over as president • 25th Amendment • VP to become pres if… • Pres dead, resignation • Pres incapable of serving
Sources for Succession • Federal Laws • Presidential Succession Act of 1792 (Pres Pro Temp, then Speaker, then Cabinet member) • Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (Flip flopped Speaker & Pres pro temp) • Never an acting officer; only appointed & confirmed by US senate (& qualified to be president) • Serve as pres until disability removed or new Pres elected
Current Order of Succession • Vice President Joe Biden • Speaker Nancy Pelosi • President Pro Tempore Robert Byrd • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton • Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner • Secretary of Defense Robert Gates • Attorney General Eric Holder
Order of Succession • Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar • Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack • Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke • Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis • Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius • Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan
Order of Succession • Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood • Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu • Secretary of Education Arne Duncan • Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki • Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano
Safeguards for Succession • President and all successors are never in the same place at the same time • One eligible successor, one house member from each party, and one senator from each party are randomly selected and are held separate and apart from all others • Purpose: to assure succession of government in event of death of everyone
Criticism of Succession • Partisan difference between Executive, Legislative branch leadership • President pro temp is OLD! • One DC nuke away from killing all successors • Swine flu / viral / biological attack could cause mass vacancies in DC