SEARCH ALL

FACTS & STATISTICS    Advanced view

Encyclopedia > Acting President of the United States

Updated 301 days 7 hours 14 minutes ago.

Acting President of the United States is a temporary office in the U.S. government, established under the auspices of the Constitution, particularly its 25th Amendment (ratified in 1967). In law, when someone is said to be acting in a position it can mean one of three things. ... The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ... This article describes the government of the United States. ... Page 1 of Amendment XXV in the National Archives Page 2 of the amendment Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and establishes procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the... John Tyler, the first to assume the Presidency following the death of a President. His legitimacy was initially contested, and it was unknown whether he should be considered merely an "acting" President. Contents 1 Origin of the position: Constitution (1787) 1.1 Questions raised 1.2 Presidential succession precedent 2 Presidential disability prior to 1967 3 25th Amendment 3.1 Pertinent text of the Amendment 3.2 Self-declared incapacity 3.3 Incapacity declared by Vice President and Cabinet 3.4 Preliminary drafts 4 Action by others as President under the Presidential Succession Act 5 Powers, duties, status, and protocol 6 Oath of Office 7 Term of Service 8 History of Acting Presidents 8.1 Invocations of 25th Amendment 8.2 Confusion regarding Reagan invocation 8.3 Other potential invocation situations 8.4 In fiction and popular entertainment 9 External links File links The following pages link to this file: John Tyler Vice President of the United States Categories: U.S. history images ... File links The following pages link to this file: John Tyler Vice President of the United States Categories: U.S. history images ... John Tyler, Jr. ... [edit] Origin of the position: Constitution (1787) Article I, Section 2, of the Constitution appears to establish a succession to the Office of the President: Article One of the United States Constitution establishes the legislative branch of government, Congress, which includes the House of Representatives and the Senate. ... "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the office of President. Seal of the office of the Vice-President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President. ... The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ... Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution, in contrast, appears to establish the position of Acting President: Article Two of the United States Constitution creates the executive branch of the government, comprising the President and other executive officers. ... "In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve upon the Vice President, and the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation or inability, both of the President and Vice President, declaring what officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected." The presidential seal is a well-known symbol of the presidency. ... Seal of the office of the Vice-President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President. ... [edit] Questions raised The above texts raised many questions regarding the status of a Vice President upon the death or resignation of the elected President, and whether he would be an "Acting President," which raised the following questions: In law, when someone is said to be acting in a position it can mean one of three things. ... Did the phrase "the same shall devolve upon the Vice President" refer to the office of the President, or simply its powers and responsibilities. If it meant the office, then a disabled President had no legal method of returning to power. What specific conditions would install the Vice President (or another officer) as Acting President? What was the procedure necessary to declare the incapacity of the President? Would Congressional action be necessary to declare a President disabled, or could he declare himself incapacitated? [edit] Presidential succession precedent Since a strict adherence to either of the two sections of the Constitution could yield opposing interpretations, there was, naturally, much disagreement when the matter was first put to the test. Any question regarding the Vice President succeeding to the Presidency was for all intents and purposes resolved in April 1841 when John Tyler succeeded William Henry Harrison upon Harrison's death. Tyler made it clear that he was the President rather than the Vice President acting as such, thus establishing precedent in accordance with the Article I interpretation. Constitutional scholars, while not generally criticizing Tyler's actions, nonetheless were uncomfortable with the informality of this process and could easily imagine problematic situations in which the applicability of the precedent would not be clear. This question would come up repeatedly over the next 100 years until resolved by the ratification of the 25th amendment in 1967. (See also: Presidential Succession Act of 1947.) John Tyler, Jr. ... William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was an American military leader, politician, and the ninth President of the United States. ... Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and established procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. ... The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (codified as Title 3, Chapter 1, Section 19 of the United States Code) establishes the order of succession to the office of President of the United States in the event neither a President nor Vice President is able to discharge the powers and duties... [edit] Presidential disability prior to 1967 The possibility of installing an Acting President was informally discussed several times prior to the ratification of the 25th amendment, but in nearly every case the Vice President (or the next in the line of succession) did not act, most likely because there was no formal process established for doing so. Some constitutional scholars feel Tyler's actions in succeeding Harrison as President were in direct conflict with the provisions of the 12th amendment, adopted in 1804, which reads in part: Amendment XII in the National Archives The Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution altered Article II pertaining to presidential elections. ... And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act (emphasis added) as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President (emphasis added). This clause proved vague, in that it was unclear what qualified as a "constitutional disability." It should be noted the amendment is referring to Presidential elections, and the House of Representative's duty in choosing a President when the electoral college is deadlocked. The clause assumes a VP candidate has cleared all electoral hurdles and can carry out the duties of President until the House can select a full-term President as per its Constitutional requirements. Since a person could presumably claim constitutional priority to the presidency over the VP in this scenario, the VP logically could not assume the full title of President. Constitutional disability in this context could refer to either the potential President not meeting the eligibility requirements of the office, or that he has not completed his electoral affirmation by Congress. Tyler, in so much as President Harrison was dead and offered no possibility of returning to the post, was incapable of losing his constitutional authority to act as President other than through his own death or incapacity, and therefore the assumption of the full title of President was simply a matter of semantics. Despite the amendment's ratification, the death, resignation, or removal from office of the President would remain the only means by which a Vice President could discharge the powers and duties of the office. Its provisions would remain untested in over a dozen situations where a President's health or other considerations might have made it prudent to have the Vice President act as President, including: During May, 1790, when President George Washington was temporarily debilitated due to a severe case of influenza. Many thought Washington would die, but neither he, nor Vice President John Adams, nor the Senate attempted to invoke any effort to temporarily install Adams as Acting President, as there was no provision for such action. For several weeks in 1813, when President James Madison suffered from a high fever and delirium. During this time some felt he had become deranged and was unable to carry out his responsibilities - particularly troublesome in the midst of the War of 1812. Despite occurring during a period of intensive military operations, apparently no serious thought was given to removing Madison from office temporarily, perhaps in part because his Vice President, Elbridge Gerry, was of poor health himself and nearing age 70. During early 1818, when President James Monroe was temporarily incapacitated with malaria. Monroe recovered, and transferring power to Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins was again never considered. On March 4, 1849 President-elect Zachary Taylor was to be inaugurated, but he refused as it was a Sunday and did not wish to break the Sabbath. Because of this, some have argued that neither Taylor nor his Vice President Millard Fillmore had any legal authority as President. They go on to argue that, as the previous President's term had expired at noon, David Rice Atchison was Acting President for the day. Both claims are heavily disputed by historians and Constitutional scholars (see the article on Atchison for more detail). During the 1868 impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson. Though he was ultimately acquitted, some argue he should not have been permitted to exercise his constitutional authorities during this time. With the Vice Presidency vacant during the trial, the person next in line was Senate President Pro Tempore Benjamin Franklin Wade. As Wade was one of those who sat in judgment of Johnson, a declaration of disability could have been seen as akin to an outright coup d'etat by Congress, and consequently was never considered. During the summer of 1881, following the July 2 shooting of President James Garfield by Charles Guiteau. Though Garfield would live 80 days after the shooting, most of this time was spent under heavy sedation and he was incapable of discharging presidential duties. Despite a widespread belief that Vice President Chester A. Arthur was a puppet of the Stalwart factions of the Republican Party, and particularly New York Senator Roscoe Conkling, Garfield's cabinet at least informally discussed scenarios under which Arthur could act as President. Again however, there being no apparatus in place and no precedent, nothing came of it. In 1884-1885, when Garfield's successor, Chester A. Arthur, was suffering the effects of the Bright's disease that would take his life less than two years after leaving office. As had been the case with Andrew Johnson before him, there was no Vice President in place to succeed, and no procedure for allowing anyone to act as President in the event that Arthur had become totally disabled. On June 13 and July 17, 1893, respectively, when President Grover Cleveland underwent two operations to remove (and repair damage from) a rather significantly sized cancerous tumor from his upper jaw. The operation was kept secret until 1918, well after Cleveland's death, and any plans related to his potential long-term disability, if there were any, were not documented. During September, 1901. Following the shooting of President William McKinley in Buffalo, New York by Leon Czolgosz on September 6, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was summoned to Buffalo, but no action was taken to permit him to discharge McKinley's duties during his final days. During May, 1909, when President William Howard Taft fell ill with influenza and simultaneously suffered a family tragedy (his wife had suffered a stroke). While perhaps inconceivable today, at the time it would have been considered widely acceptable for a President to temporarily transfer power due to grief caused by an illness not his own. President Woodrow Wilson suffered a slight stroke on September 25, 1919. On October 2 it was followed by a massive, debilitating stroke which left him partially paralyzed and completely incapacitated. Rather than to transfer Presidential authority to Vice President Thomas Riley Marshall, Wilson's condition was hidden (to the extent that he was physically isolated) from the Vice President, the Cabinet, Congress and the public for most of the remainder of his second term. Many feel that First Lady Edith Bolling Galt Wilson was the de facto President, as she controlled access to Wilson and spoke on his behalf. Throughout the period from late 1943 until President Franklin Roosevelt's death on April 12, 1945. Roosevelt reportedly suffered from various life-threatening ailments, including malignant melanoma, hypertensive cardiomyopathy, severe high blood pressure, congestive heart failure and stroke-related symptoms (to which he would eventually succumb). Henry Wallace, his Vice President for most of this period, was largely regarded by many governmental and Democratic insiders as too close to the Soviet Union and potentially a Communist sympathizer, so moving him in to any sort of Acting Presidency or co-Presidency was never seriously considered. Also, it was considered necessary for national security purposes during World War II not to show weakness to America's enemies. When Wallace was supplanted as Vice President in January, 1945 by Harry S. Truman, Truman was also kept unaware of Roosevelt's condition. During the mid-point of Dwight Eisenhower's presidency there were three instances where the President was disabled. The first occurred in September, 1955 when Eisenhower suffered a heart attack while on vacation. On June 8, 1956 he was hospitalized for a bowel obstruction that ultimately required surgery and incapacitated him for six days. Then on November 25, 1957, Eisenhower suffered a mild stroke that caused him to be hospitalized for three days. In each case, Vice President Richard Nixon did carry out some of Eisenhower's informal presidential responsibilities, but full presidential authority (such as signing bills into law, for example) remained solely with Eisenhower. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson had a gallbladder operation. During the surgery and recovery, there was no move to have Vice President Hubert Humphrey assume presidential powers and duties. George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... Influenza, commonly known as flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by an RNA virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses). ... John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) served as Americas first Vice President (1789–1797) and as its second President (1797–1801). ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the... James Madison (March 16, 1751 – June 28, 1836), an American politician and fourth President of the United States of America (1809–1817), was one of the most influential Founders of the United States. ... An analogue medical thermometer showing the temperature of 38. ... Combatants United States Britain Canada Bermuda Eastern Woodland Indians Commanders James Madison Henry Dearborn Jacob Brown Winfield Scott Andrew Jackson George Prevost Isaac Brock† Tecumseh† Strength •United States Regular Army: 35,800 •Rangers: 3,049 •Militia: 458,463* •US Navy & US Marines: (at start of war): •Frigates:6 •Other vessels... Elbridge Thomas Gerry (pronounced , rhymes with merry) (July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814) was an American politician, a member of the Jeffersonian Republican Party. ... James Monroe (April 28, 1758 – July 4, 1831) was the fifth President of the United States (1817-1825), and the fourth Virginian to hold the office. ... Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease that is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa. ... Seal of the office of the Vice-President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President. ... Daniel D. Tompkins (June 21, 1774 – June 11, 1825) was an entrepreneur, jurist, Congressman, Governor of New York, and the sixth Vice President of the United States. ... is the 63rd day of the year (64th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850)[2] was an American military leader and the twelfth President of the United States. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      In Christianity, the Sabbath... Not to be confused with Mallard Fillmore. ... David Rice Atchison (August 11, 1807 – January 26, 1886) was a mid-19th century Democratic United States Senator from Missouri. ... Depiction of the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson, then President of the United States, in 1868. ... Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) was the seventeenth President of the United States (1865–1869), succeeding to the presidency upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. ... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... Benjamin Franklin Wade (October 27, 1800 _ March 2, 1878) was a U.S. lawyer and politician. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups (as of November 7, 2006 elections) Democratic Party Republican... is the 183rd day of the year (184th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831–September 19, 1881) was the twentieth President of the United States and the second U.S. President to be assassinated — Abraham Lincoln was the first. ... Charles Julius Guiteau (September 8, 1841 _ June 30, 1882) was an American lawyer with a history of mental illness who assassinated President James Garfield on July 2, 1881 (although he did not die until 19 September). ... Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American politician who served as the 21st President of the United States. ... The Stalwarts were a faction of the United States Republican Party, towards the end of the nineteenth century. ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... NY redirects here. ... Roscoe Conkling (October 30, 1829–April 18, 1888) was a United States politician from New York. ... Chester Alan Arthur (October 5, 1829 – November 18, 1886) was an American politician who served as the 21st President of the United States. ... Brights disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. ... Andrew Johnson (December 29, 1808 – July 31, 1875) was the seventeenth President of the United States (1865–1869), succeeding to the presidency upon the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837 – June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th President of the United States, and the only President to serve two non-consecutive terms (1885–1889 and 1893–1897). ... Cancer is a class of diseases or disorders characterized by uncontrolled division of cells and the ability of these to spread, either by direct growth into adjacent tissue through invasion, or by implantation into distant sites by metastasis (where cancer cells are transported through the bloodstream or lymphatic system). ... For the mountain, see Mount McKinley. ... Nickname: Location of Buffalo in New York State County Erie County Government  - Mayor Byron Brown Area  - City 52. ... Photograph of Leon Czolgosz. ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was an American politician, the 27th President of the United States, the 10th Chief Justice of the United States, a leader of the progressive conservative wing of the Republican Party in the early 20th century, a pioneer in international arbitration and... Influenza, commonly known as flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by an RNA virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae (the influenza viruses). ... Stroke (or cerebrovascular accident or CVA) is the clinical designation for a rapidly developing loss of brain function due to an interruption in the blood supply to all or part of the brain. ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924), was the 28th President of the United States. ... is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... October 2 is the 275th day of the year (276th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas R. Marshall Thomas Riley Marshall (March 14, 1854 – June 1, 1925) was an American politician who served as the twenty-eighth Vice President of the United States of America under Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1921. ... A cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. ... White House portrait Edith Bolling Galt Wilson (October 15, 1872–December 28, 1961), second wife of Woodrow Wilson, was First Lady of the United States from 1915 to 1921. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... is the 102nd day of the year (103rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes which are found predominantly in skin but also in the bowel and the eye (see uveal melanoma). ... Arterial hypertension, or high blood pressure is a medical condition where the blood pressure is chronically elevated. ... Congestive heart failure (CHF), also called congestive cardiac failure (CCF) or just heart failure, is a condition that can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the heart to fill with or pump a sufficient amount of blood throughout the body. ... Stroke (or cerebrovascular accident or CVA) is the clinical designation for a rapidly developing loss of brain function due to an interruption in the blood supply to all or part of the brain. ... Henry Wallace may refer to: Henry A. Wallace (1888–1965), U.S. Vice President Henry Cantwell Wallace (1866–1924), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, father of Henry A. Wallace Harry Brookings Wallace, former Chancellor of Washington University in St. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ... Security measures taken to protect the Houses of Parliament in London, England. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the thirty-third President of the United States (1945–1953); as Vice President, he succeeded to the office upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... Acute myocardial infarction (AMI or MI), more commonly known as a heart attack, is a disease state that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted. ... June 8 is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... “Surgeon” redirects here. ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... “LBJ” redirects here. ... Hubert Horatio Humphrey, Jr. ... [edit] 25th Amendment The 25th amendment, ratified in 1967, clears up many of the issues which surrounded presidential succession and incapacity. Section 1 made it clear that in the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President succeeds to the office, while Section 2 established a procedure for filling Vice Presidential vacancies. Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and established procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. ... [edit] Pertinent text of the Amendment Section 3. Whenever the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, and until he transmits to them a written declaration to the contrary, such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President. The United States Senate, according to the United States Constitution, (Article I), is required to choose a President Pro Tempore (or, president for a time, often shortened to President Pro Tem), who presides over the Senate in the absence of the Vice President. ... It has been suggested that Speakers of the House be merged into this article or section. ... Section 4. Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President. Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office. [edit] Self-declared incapacity Section 3 of the amendment set forth a procedure whereby a President who believes he will be temporarily unable to perform the duties of his office may declare himself "unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office." Upon this declaration, which is transmitted in writing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Vice President becomes Acting President. The Vice President continues to act as President until the President declares, by another letter to the leaders of each house of Congress, that he's again able to discharge the powers and duties of the presidency. [edit] Incapacity declared by Vice President and Cabinet Section 4 of the amendment sets forth a second procedure establishing presidential incapacity. This second method allows the Vice President, together with a majority of the members of the President's cabinet, to declare the President disabled. Upon this declaration, which is transmitted in writing to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Vice President immediately becomes Acting President. If the President submits a letter to the leaders of Congress stating that he is able to discharge the powers and duties of the presidency, then the Vice President returns to his role as Vice President and his service as Acting President is over; however, the Vice President and a majority of the President's cabinet have four days to serve notice to Congress that the President is still unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. If the Vice President and a majority of the Cabinet re-certify that declaration to the leaders of Congress, the Vice President returns to his role as Acting President and Congress is constitutionally obligated to consider (or to assemble within 48 hours and consider, if not already in session) the issue. The Congress has a maximum of 21 days after receipt of the Vice President and Cabinet's most recent letter to decide if the President is not able to discharge the powers and duties of his office. If Congress does not, by two-thirds vote of each house, declare that "the President is unable to discharge his office," then those duties automatically return to the President and the Vice President's service as Acting President ends. Ostensibly to be used in the event of a President's complete mental or physical disability, this method of transferring presidential power has never been used. In cases such as the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan however, this method of designating an Acting President could have been justified, in consideration of the fact that Reagan was literally unable to give any orders in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, prompting then Secretary of State Alexander Haig to proclaim "I'm in control here." Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the fortieth President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the thirty-third Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... For other persons named Alexander Haig, see Alexander Haig (disambiguation). ... [edit] Preliminary drafts In preliminary drafts of what ultimately became the 25th Amendment, the line of presidential succession was spelled out in great detail, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the existing cabinet officers. Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and established procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. ... The presidential line of succession defines who may become or act as President of the United States upon the incapacity, death, resignation, or removal from office (by impeachment and subsequent conviction) of a sitting president or a president-elect. ... The term Speaker is usually the title given to the presiding officer of a countrys lower house of parliament or congress (ie: the House of Commons or House of Representatives). ... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... Realizing that committing such a list to the constitution could cause issues later should amending the line of succession be desirable, however, led the Congress to deliver an amendment which did not constitutionally place these officers in the succession line. Congress in Joint Session. ... [edit] Action by others as President under the Presidential Succession Act Congress, acting under the powers conferred upon it by Article II, Section 1 of the United States Constitution, and by Section 3 of the 20th Amendment, has provided for cases where neither a President nor Vice President is able to discharge the powers and duties of the office of President via the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (officially styled "An Act to provide for the performance of the duties of the office of President in case of the removal, resignation, death, or inability both of the President and Vice President"). Congress in Joint Session. ... Page 1 of Amendment XX in the National Archives Page 2 of the amendment Amendment XX (the Twentieth Amendment) of the United States Constitution, also called The Lame Duck Amendment, or the Norris Amendment,[] establishes some details of presidential succession and of the beginning and ending of the terms of... The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (codified as Title 3, Chapter 1, Section 19 of the United States Code) establishes the order of succession to the office of President of the United States in the event neither a President nor Vice President is able to discharge the powers and duties... The constitutional delegation of authority that enabled Congress to enact the Presidential Succession Act is twofold: the authority of Congress to regulate cases when neither a President-elect, nor a Vice President-elect have qualified, determining who shall act as President in that specific situation stems from section 3 of the 20th Amendment. On the other hand, the power of the Legislature to determine who shall act as President in the cases of removal, resignation, death, or inability both of the President and Vice President is provided for in article Article II, section 1 of the Constitution. Congress has chosen to regulate both situations by the same statute, and the Presidential Succession Act it passed in 1947 deals with both cases. The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 is not the first statute to have been enacted by Congress under the above mentioned constitutional provisions. Before the enactment of the current statute previous Acts of Congress (the Presidential Succession Acts of 1792 and 1886) dealt with the hypothesis of there being neither a President nor a Vice-President able to discharge the powers of the presidency. Apart from the circumstances regulated by sections 3 and 4 of the 25th Amendment, the provisions of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 regulate the only other scenarios in which the office of Acting President would come into existence. While none of these officers would succeed to the presidency as would a Vice President, the provisions of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, now codified in Title 3, Chapter 1, Section 19 of the United States Code, create a line of succession that allows the Speaker of the House, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and Cabinet officers, to serve as Acting President in the case of removal, resignation, death or inability of both the President and Vice President, and also in the case of failure to qualify of both a President-elect and a Vice President-elect. The following is the currently established line of succession after the President and the Vice President: The United States Code (U.S.C.) is a compilation and codification of the general and permanent federal law of the United States. ... Speaker of the House of Representatives President Pro Tempore of the Senate Secretary of State Secretary of the Treasury Secretary of Defense Attorney General Secretary of the Interior Secretary of Agriculture Secretary of Commerce Secretary of Labor Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Secretary of Transportation Secretary of Energy Secretary of Education Secretary of Veterans Affairs Secretary of Homeland Security The fact that section 2 of the 25th Amendment allows a President to nominate a new Vice President whenever a vacancy occurs in that office, while not directly impacting the Presidential Succession Act, has greatly diminished the potential for its coming into operation. Indeed, since the office of Vice President, once vacant, no longer remains vacant until the end of the presidential term, but is now filled by presidential nomination confirmed by Congress, the likelihood of there ever being a time when there is simultaneously neither a President nor a Vice President able to discharge the powers and duties of the presidency has greatly decreased. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... Seal of the United States Department of State. ... The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, concerned with finance and monetary matters, and, until 2003, some issues of national security and defense. ... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense (DoD), concerned with the armed services and The role of the Secretary of Defense is to be the principal defense policy advisor to the President and is responsible for the formulation of general defense... Seal of the United States Department of Justice The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice (see 28 U.S.C. Â§ 503) concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. ... The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior, concerned with such matters as national parks and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... The United States Secretary of Agriculture is the head of the United States Department of Agriculture concerned with land and food as well as agriculture and rural development. ... The office of the U.S. Secretary of Commerce in the mid-20th century. ... The United States Secretary of Labor is the head of the United States Department of Labor. ... The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... The United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is the head of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, concerned with The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Seal of the United States Department of Transportation The United States Secretary of Transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation. ... The United States Secretary of Energy is the head of the United States Department of Energy, concerned as the name suggests, with The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... The United States Secretary of Education is the head of the Department of Education. ... The United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans benefits and related matters. ... The United States Secretary of Homeland Security is the head of the United States Department of Homeland Security, the body concerned with protecting the American homeland and the safety of American citizens. ... To date no one other than a Vice President has acted as President. Seal of the office of the Vice-President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President. ... [edit] Powers, duties, status, and protocol Under both the 25th Amendment and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, an Acting President has identical constitutional "powers and duties" as the President, being able to sign bills into law, petition Congress for a declaration of war, and perform other tasks, but does not hold the office itself. Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and established procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. ... The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (codified as Title 3, Chapter 1, Section 19 of the United States Code) establishes the order of succession to the office of President of the United States in the event neither a President nor Vice President is able to discharge the powers and duties... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups (as of November 7, 2006 elections) Democratic Party Republican... The President who is unable to exercise the powers and duties of the office remains the President of the United States during the period when there is an Acting President; in other words, the incapacitated President does not become an ordinary citizen. The President is deprived of the powers and duties of the office, but not of presidential status. Similarly, while the Vice President is discharging the powers and duties of the presidency pursuant to sections 3 or 4 of the 25th Amendment, he still holds the office of Vice President. He would be both Vice President and Acting President simultaneously. In an episode of the fictional television series The West Wing a former Acting President of the United States attends the funeral of a recently-deceased President and is accorded the same protocol as all the other former Presidents. As of June, 2006, it is unknown under what circumstances this protocol would be accorded in real life, because the only Acting President who was not subsequently elected to the presidency is current Vice President Dick Cheney. Should he never succeed to the presidency, he would be the first to whom this question applies. The Stormy Present is episode 98 of The West Wing. ... “The West Wing” redirects here. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... [edit] Oath of Office The presidential oath is not taken by the Vice President upon the 25th Amendment's being invoked. As stated above, Acting President is not the same as President. The former merely exercises the powers and duties of the President, without actually holding the office of President. And, while the Constitution requires the President to take this oath upon entering into the office, the 25th Amendment states that, upon it being invoked "the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President." Thus, the Vice President becomes Acting President as soon as the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate receive the written declaration issued under either section 3 or section 4 of the 25th Amendment, no oath being required. Precedent confirms that, since, in the two occasions when the 25th Amendment was invoked, there is no record of the Vice President having taken the oath. In the case of the Amendment's invocation by President Bush, a detailed account of the procedure was subsequently given by the White House Press Secretary, and no mention whatsoever was made of the oath being taken by the Vice President. Instead, it is recorded that Vice President Cheney was informed by telephone that he was now Acting President as soon as the invocation letters signed by the President were transmitted to the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate.[1] It should be noted, however, that the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (that applies when there is neither a President nor a Vice President able to discharge the powers and duties of the office) makes reference to the oath, albeit in an indirect manner. It states that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President pro tempore of the Senate, and the mentioned members of the Cabinet, upon being called to act as President, shall resign their offices of origin, and, in the section referring to members of the Cabinet acting as President, it states that the taking of the oath of office by one person so called to act as President shall be held to constitute the said person's resignation from the Cabinet office by virtue of the holding of which he qualifies to act as President. However, the Act stops short of explicitly requiring the presidential oath to be taken. In any event, the Presidential Succession Act does not apply when the Vice President is the one in place to act as President. [edit] Term of Service An Acting President serves until: The President transmits "his written declaration" to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, declaring that his period of incapacity has ended, if the incapacity was declared under section 3 of the 25th Amendment (self declared incapacity); or, when the President transmits his written declaration to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate declaring that he is able to resume the powers and duties of his office and four days elapse without the Vice-President and a majority of the Cabinet restating their declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, If the incapacity was declared under section 4 of the 25th Amendment (action by Vice-President and a majority of the Cabinet). twenty one days elapse after the receipt, under section 4 of the 25th Amendment, of the declaration of the Vice-President and Cabinet, declaring, within four days of the President having declared that he was able to resume the powers and duties of his office, that they still believe that the President is unable to discharge those powers and duties, but only if Congress does not, within that period of twenty one days, determine, by a two thirds vote in both Houses, that the President is incapable of exercising his powers and duties. The death, resignation (it is not clear, however, if an incapacitated President would still be able to resign the office after his incapacity had been declared) or removal of the President. In this case a Vice-President acting as President would succeed to the office. Any other officer acting as President, however, would (per the terms of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947) serve out the remainder of the Presidential term as Acting President, instead of becoming President. A President-elect or Vice-President elect qualifying to hold the office, in a case in which the Presidential Succession Act has entered into operation due to the failure of both a President-elect and a Vice-President-elect to qualify. A person mentioned in section A or B of the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 (Speaker of the House of Representatives or President pro tempore of the US Senate) becoming able to act as President, when those powers and duties are being exercised by a member of the Cabinet under section D of the said Act in virtue of there being no Speaker or President pro tempore able to act upon the entry into operation of the provisions of the said Act. In this case, however, an Acting President would be merely replaced by another Acting President, placed higher in the order of Succession. At the expiration of the term for which the elected President was chosen, whereupon the President-elect would take office. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the... Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the current President pro tempore of the United States Senate. ... [edit] History of Acting Presidents The only occasions when the office of Acting President came into existence were instances of invocations of the 25th Amendment, specifically of its section 3. Neither Section 4 of the 25th Amendment, nor the Presidential Succession Act of 1947 and its predecessor Acts have ever come into operation. [edit] Invocations of 25th Amendment Vice President George H.W. Bush became the first person to become Acting President Vice President Richard Cheney was the second person to become 'Acting President' under the provision of the 25th amendment on June 29, 2002. Only twice in American history has someone acted as President. In both cases, the self-declared incapacity method was used by a President to voluntarily transfer presidential authority to his Vice-President: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2072x2392, 584 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): George H. W. Bush List of Presidents of the United States ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2072x2392, 584 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): George H. W. Bush List of Presidents of the United States ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born... Image File history File links Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States. ... Image File history File links Dick Cheney, Vice President of the United States. ... Richard Bruce Cheney (born January 30, 1941), widely known as Dick Cheney, is an American politician and businessman affiliated with the U.S. Republican Party. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... On July 13, 1985, President Ronald Reagan underwent surgery to remove cancerous polyps from his colon. Prior to undergoing surgery, he transmitted a letter to the Speaker of the House and the President pro Tempore of the Senate declaring his incapacity. Vice President George H. W. Bush then acted as President from 11:28 a.m. until 7:22 p.m., when Reagan transmitted a second letter resuming the powers and duties of the office. Text of Reagan transfer of power letters. On June 29, 2002, President George W. Bush declared himself temporarily unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office prior to undergoing a colonoscopy which required sedation. Vice President Dick Cheney acted as President for a little over two hours that day (from 7:09 a.m. to 9:24 a.m.), whereupon Bush transmitted a second letter resuming the powers and duties of the office. Text of Bush transfer of power letters. This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses. On July 20, 2007, the White House Press Secretary announced [2] [3] that President George W. Bush would undergo a colonoscopy on July 21, 2007, and that he would, prior to undergoing sedation, briefly transfer the powers and duties of the presidency to Vice President Dick Cheney under section 3 of the 25th Amendment. Vice President Cheney will thereby become the first person ever to have served more than once as Acting President of the United States. is the 194th day of the year (195th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the fortieth President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the thirty-third Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... On July 12, 1985, President Ronald Reagan underwent a colonoscopy procedure, during which a pre-cancerous tumor known as a villous adenoma was discovered. ... is the 180th day of the year (181st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Colonoscopy is the minimally invasive endoscopic examination of the large colon and the distal part of the small bowel with a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... The Bush transfer of power occurred on the morning of June 29, 2002, when United States President George W. Bush temporarily transferred the powers of the office to Vice President Dick Cheney. ... Image File history File links Current_event_marker. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... is the 202nd day of the year (203rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... [edit] Confusion regarding Reagan invocation Because of the wording of letter signed by President Reagan to declare his temporary inability, in which he expressed doubts about whether his situation would fall within the scope of the 25th Amendment, some argue that the invocation of the Amendment by him was invalid, and that no formal transfer of power took place. The following facts make it unquestioned that it had, in fact, occurred: His precise following of the provisions of Section 3 of the 25th Amendment, issuing written declarations to the President pro tempore of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House, declaring his temporary inability to discharge the office, and subsequent declaration that his disability had been removed. His post-presidential writings on the subject clearly stated that it was his intent to invoke the amendment. His chief counsel on the matter, Fred Fielding has been quoted as saying, "I personally know he (Reagan) did intend to invoke the amendment, and he conveyed that to all of his staff, and it was conveyed to the VP as well as the President of the Senate. He was also very firm in his wish not to create a precedent binding his successor." So while Reagan didn't wish for his particular situation to establish a precedent binding future Presidents to turning over their authority every time they underwent surgery, his intent to transfer executive authority in that instance was clear. Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and established procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. ... Fred Fisher Fielding (born March 21, 1939) is senior partner at Wiley, Rein, & Fielding, a Washington, D.C. law firm. ... Furthermore, the 25th Amendment does not require that the written declaration contain express words invoking the Amendment itself. It simply requires a written statement that the President is unable to discharge his powers and duties. The 1985 Reagan invocation letter was clear in stating that he would be so incapable. [edit] Other potential invocation situations In addition to the two instances where it was utilized, in two other cases the 'Acting President' provisions of the 25th amendment could, at least in theory, have been invoked: Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and established procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. ... During 1972, when President Richard Nixon was hospitalized due to phlebitis. At the time no consideration was given to installing Vice President Spiro Agnew as Acting President, but the precedents set by the invocations of 1985 and 2002 leave this as a case where power could have been temporarily transferred. On March 30, 1981, perhaps the most perfectly suited situation for the invocation of the 'Acting President' provision occurred when President Ronald Reagan was wounded by a would-be assassin, John Hinckley, Jr. Though Reagan was clearly seen by his staff, Cabinet members, and others as incapacitated, Vice President George H. W. Bush refused to join the Cabinet in invoking the 25th amendment, feeling it would be akin to a coup d'etat. Reagan would eventually recover, but constitutional scholars such as Herbert Abrams have opined that the 25th amendment should have been invoked in order to clarify the acting chain of command [4] Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Phlebitis is an inflammation of a vein, usually in the legs. ... Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th Vice President of the United States serving under President Richard M. Nixon, and the 55th Governor of Maryland. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (90th in leap years). ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the fortieth President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the thirty-third Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ... The Reagan assassination attempt occurred on March 30, 1894, just 70 days into the presidency of Ronald Reagan. ... John Warnock Hinckley, Jr. ... George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... Amendment XXV (the Twenty-fifth Amendment) of the United States Constitution clarifies an ambiguous provision of the Constitution regarding succession to the Presidency, and established procedures both for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President as well as responding to Presidential disabilities. ... A coup détat, or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... [edit] In fiction and popular entertainment The invocation of the 25th Amendment and the potential for a power struggle or coup d'état are recurring themes in politically-themed entertainment. Acting Presidents have been depicted as part of story arcs on the American television shows The West Wing, Commander in Chief, and 24. See in general fiction regarding United States presidential succession. As a pun, the actor Martin Sheen has on occasion been introduced as acting President of the United States, because he acts the part of the U.S. President on The West Wing. “The West Wing” redirects here. ... 24 is an Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning American television series created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, and produced by Imagine Television. ... The somewhat elaborate rules and laws governing succession to the Presidency have long provided fodder for creators of fiction. ... Martin Sheen (né Ramón Estévez) (born August 3, 1940) is a three-time Emmy-winning and Golden Globe Award-winning Spanish American actor and perhaps best known for his role as Captain Willard in the film Apocalypse Now and, most recently, as President Josiah Bartlet on the acclaimed... [edit] External links US Code: Title 3, Chapter 1, Section 19 Presidential Line of Succession Examined, September 20, 2003 Amendment25.com