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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 • Vacancy in VP filled by app’t by the new President (confirmed by both chambers w/ majority vote)
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 John Boehner • President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy • Secretary of State John Kerry • Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew • Secretary of Defense Robert Gates • Attorney General Eric Holder
Order of Succession • Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell (born in Great Britain) • Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack • Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker • Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez • 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 Ernest Moniz • Secretary of Education Arne Duncan • Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki • Secretary of Homeland Rand Beers (acting)
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 • One DC nuke away from killing all successors • Swine flu / viral / biological attack could cause mass vacancies in DC • 25th Amendment makes all of this unnecessary! Left, Speaker; Right, Pres. Pro Temp = 25th Am