 |
The Constitution and Succession Presidential succession is the scheme by which a presidential vacancy is filled. If the President dies, resigns, or is removed from office by impeachment, the Vice President succeeds to the office. Originally, the Constitution did not provide for the succession of the Vice President. In practice the Vice President did succeed to the office when it became vacant. What had been practice became a part of the written Constitution with the adoption of the 25th Amendment in 1967. Condress fixed the order of succession following the Vice President. The present law on the matter is the Presidential Succession Act of 1947. The Vice Presidency "I am Vice President. In this I am nothing, but I may be everything." So said John Adoms, the nation's first Vice President. Importance of the Office The Constitution pays little attention to the office of the Vice President. It assigns the position only two formal duties:(1) to preside over the Senate and (2) to help decide the question of presidential disability. |