Presidential Succession

Presidential Succession Act of 1947

• Established current line of succession

• Vice President

• Speaker of the House

• Senate president pro tempore

• Followed by 13 heads of Cabinet departments

When something happens to the President, who takes over?

• Has only happened 9 times

- 9th President William Henry Harrison, died April 4, 1841 - 12th President Zachary Taylor, died July 9, 1850 - 16th President Abraham Lincoln, died April 15, 1865 - 20th President James Garfield, died September 19, 1881 - 25th President William McKinley, died September 14, 1901 - 29th President Warren G. Harding, died August 2, 1923 - 32nd President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, died April 12, 1945 -35th President John F. Kennedy, died November 22, 1963 *Ford replaced Nixon who resigned, 1972

• 25th Amendment – (1967) officially states that the Vice President is first in line of succession

Richard Cheney (R)

2. Speaker of the House

Nanci Pelosi (D), California

2. President Pro Tempore

Ted Stevens (R), Alaska

2. Secretary of StateCondoleezza Rice

5-18. 13 heads of the Cabinet Departments (order determined by Congress)

Presidential Disability

• President informs Congress in writing

• V-President and a majority of the Cabinet members inform Congress in writing

• President can resume power when able to– 1985 (Reagan gave power to G.H.W. Bush

during an 8-hour surgery)– 2002 (G.W. Bush gave power to Cheney for 2

hours during a medical procedure)

John Adams Quote

• “I am Vice President. In this I am nothing, but I may be everything.”

Vice Presidential Succession

• Has happened 18 times (Presidential resignations, death, v-p resignations)

• President nominates a new VP• Must be confirmed by a majority vote in

Congress• Gerald Ford was appointed to replace

Spiro Agnew; then became President after Nixon resigned, only non-elected President in our history