Line of Succession to the Office of President

If by reason of death, resignation removal from office, inability, or
failure to qualify there is neither a president nor vice president to
discharge the powers and duties of the ofice of the president, then the
speaker of the House of Representatives shall upon his resignation as
speaker and as representitive, act as president. The same rule shall apply
in the case of death, resignation, removal from office, or inability of an
individual acting as president.

If at the time when a speaker is to begin the discharge of the powers and
duties of the office of the president there is no speaker, or the speaker
fails to qualify as acting president, then the president pro tempore of the
Senate, upon his resignation as president pro and as senator, shall act as
president.

An individual acting as president shall continue to act until the expiration
of the then current presidential term, except that (1) if his discharge of
the powers and duties of the office is found in whole or in part in the
failure of both the president-elect and the vice president-elect to qualify,
then he shall act only until a president or vice president qualifies, and
(2) if his discharge of the powers and duties of he office is founded in
whole or in part on the inability of the president or vice-president, then
he shall act only until the removal of the disability of one of such
individuals.

If, by reason of death, resignation removal from office, or failure to
qualify, there is no president pro tempore to act as president, then the
officer of the United States wo is highest on the following list, and who is
not under any disability to discharge the powers and duties of president
shall act as president; the Secretaries of State, treasury, defense,
attorney general; secretaries of interior, agriculture, commerce, labor,
health and human services, housing and urban development, transportation,
energy, education.

(Legislation approved July 18, 1947; amended Sept 9, 1965, Oct 15, 1966, Aug
4, 1977, and Sept 27, 1979)[see also Constitutional Amendment XXV]

1. The Vice President

2. Speaker of the House

3. President pro tempore of the Senate

4. Secretary of State

5. Secretary of the Treasury

6. Secretary of Defense

7. Attorney General

8. Secretary of the Interior

9. Secretary of Agriculture

10. Secretary of Commerce

11. Secretary of Labor

12. Secretary of Health and Human Services

13. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

14. Secretary of Transportation

15. Secretary of Energy

16. Secretary of Education



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