•Presidential succession is the plan by which a presidential vacancy is filled.
•The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, made it clear that the Vice President will become President if the President is removed from office.
•The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 set the order of succession following the Vice President.
The Vice President is to become acting President if
–(1) the President informs Congress, in writing, “that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office,” or
–(2) the Vice President and a majority of the members of the Cabinet inform Congress, in writing, that the President is thus incapacitated.
The Constitution only gives the Vice President two duties besides becoming President if the President is removed from office:
1) to preside over the Senate, and
2) to help decide the question of presidential disability.
