Amendment 20 — Congresss Power To Provide Further For Presidential Succession

Twentieth Amendment , Section 4:

The Congress may by law provide for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the House of Representatives may choose a President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them, and for the case of the death of any of the persons from whom the Senate may choose a Vice President whenever the right of choice shall have devolved upon them.

In 1947, Congress adopted the Presidential Succession Act,[1](https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-20/congresss-power-to-provide-further-for-presidential-succession#fn1amd20 " Presidential Succession Act of 1947, Pub. L. No. 80-199, 61 Stat. 380 (codified as amended at 3 U.S.C. § 19). ") which provided for the Speaker of the House to “act as President” [2](https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-20/congresss-power-to-provide-further-for-presidential-succession#fn2amd20 " Id. § 19(1). ") followed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and then by the department heads in the order in which each department had been established.

Footnotes

1

Presidential Succession Act of 1947, Pub. L. No. 80-199 , 61 Stat. 380 (codified as amended at 3 U.S.C. § 19).

2

Id. § 19(1).