fifth amendment united_states constitution fifth amendment amendment united_states_constitution deals succession presidency establishes procedures filling vacancy office vice president responding presidential disabilities ambiguous wording article section clause constitution state vice president president acting president president dies removed office unable discharge powers presidency fifth amendment adopted february text section case removal president office death resignation vice president shall president section vacancy office vice president president shall nominate vice president shall office confirmation majority vote section president president pro senate speaker house_of_representatives written declaration unable discharge powers duties office written declaration contrary powers duties shall discharged vice president acting president section vice president majority principal officers executive departments body congress law provide transmit president pro senate speaker house_of_representatives written declaration president unable discharge powers duties office vice president shall immediately assume powers duties office acting president president president pro senate speaker house_of_representatives written declaration inability exists shall resume powers duties office vice president majority principal officers executive department body congress law provide transmit days president pro senate speaker house_of_representatives written declaration president unable discharge powers duties office congress shall decide issue assembling hours purpose session congress days written declaration congress session days congress required assemble determines thirds vote houses president unable discharge powers duties office vice president shall continue discharge acting president president shall resume powers duties office background article section clause constitution states case removal president office death resignation inability discharge powers duties said office shall vice president congress law provide case removal death resignation inability president vice president declaring officer shall act president officer shall act accordingly disability removed president shall elected clause unclear presidential succession inability state power declare president provide mechanism filling vice presidential vacancy prior presidential election clause caused difficulties times fifth amendment adoption president president die office representative previously suggested vice president acting president death president asserted succeeded presidency opposed obtaining powers duties declined acknowledge documents referring acting president felt vice presidential oath need presidential oath tyler persuaded formally sworn clear doubts right office having moved white_house assumed presidential powers tyler claim formally challenged houses congress adopted resolution confirming tyler tenth president united_states precedent succession established known occasions president example following stroke officially assumed presidential powers duties lady covered president wilson condition office vice president vacant sixteen times death resignation vice president succession presidency example vice president nearly years death president attempted clarify procedures signed agreement vice president richard_nixon drafted attorney general agreement authority constitutional amendment incidents evident guidelines needed proposals providing guidelines proposal senator new_york proposed constitutional amendment enabled congress enact legislation providing determine president disabled fifth amendment having constitution provide proposal based recommendation text proposal read case removal president office death resignation said office shall vice president case inability president discharge powers duties said office said powers duties shall vice president inability removed congress law provide case removal death resignation inability president vice president declaring officer shall president case inability act president officer shall act president accordingly president shall elected case inability inability shall earlier removed commencement termination inability shall determined method congress shall law provide senators raised concerns congress abuse authority neglect enact legislation adoption proposal tennessee senator chairman long time advocate addressing disability question spearheaded effort died heart attack august senator defeated election senator republican nebraska took objections new member kennedy assassination assassination president showed need clear way determine presidential succession context cold war new president suffered heart attack people line presidency year old speaker year old senate president pro senator succeeded chairman set advocating detailed amendment dealing presidential succession proposal january senator birch proposed senate representative chairman proposed house_of_representatives fifth amendment proposal specified process president declared disabled making vice president acting president president regain powers office proposal provided way fill vacancy office vice president presidential election opposed proposal provided filling vacancy office vice president prior presidential election provided process determining presidential disability endorsed type proposal advocated january president johnson endorsed statement congress february senate passed amendment house passed different version amendment april april returned senate revisions areas disagreement house senate versions senate official receive written declaration amendment period time vice president cabinet decide disagree president declaration fit resume duties time congress meets resolve issue president vice president cabinet time limit congress reach decision july conference committee differences versions final version amendment passed houses congress presented states ratification proposal ratification congress proposed fifth amendment july amendment ratified following states following states ratified amendment georgia south_carolina days submission nebraska wisconsin states amendment february minnesota nevada 37th 38th states respectively february ceremony white_house administrator certified amendment adoption effect section presidential succession section codified tyler precedent president removed office dies situations vice president immediately president section vice presidential vacancy prior fifth amendment adoption vice presidential vacancy remained start presidential term vice presidency vacant times death resignation succession presidency lasted years section vacancy office vice president president successor vice president confirmed majority vote section presidential declaration section provides president written declaration president pro senate speaker house_of_representatives stating unable discharge powers duties presidency president sends written declaration aforementioned officers declaring able resume powers duties vice president serves acting president section vice presidential cabinet declaration section amendment invoked allows vice president majority principal officers executive departments cabinet body congress law provide declare president disabled submitting written declaration president pro senate speaker house_of_representatives section vice president acting president section meant invoked president prevents duties office provide written declaration effect president resume exercising presidential duties sending written declaration president pro speaker house vice president cabinet believe president disabled days president declaration submit declaration president congress assemble hours session congress days decide issue days allotted thirds house congress vote president section states vice president continue acting president congress resolve issue favor president congress makes decision days allotted president resume powers duties office use words continue resume imply vice president remains acting president congress president submit written declaration recovery president pro speaker house declaration responded acting president cabinet way stated earlier allotted day congressional procedure start fifth amendment invoked times ratification times applications sections context scandals surrounding applications section connection president undergoing medical procedure requiring general appointment vice president october following vice president resignation days earlier president richard_nixon nominated representative michigan succeed vice president united_states senate voted confirm ford november december house_of_representatives vote ford sworn later day joint session united_states congress succession presidency president richard_nixon resigned august resulting vice president succeeding office president person vice president later president elected office appointment vice president president vice presidency vacant august having previously considered president ford nominated new_york governor succeed vice president december confirmed senate december confirmed house sworn office later day senate chamber acting presidents july president ronald_reagan underwent pre called discovered told physician undergo surgery immediately weeks reagan elected removed immediately afternoon reagan consulted white_house counsel telephone debating amendment transfer set undesirable precedent fielding white_house chief staff recommended reagan transfer power letters drafted letter specifically invoked section fifth amendment second mentioned reagan provision july reagan signed second letter ordered delivery appropriate officers required amendment books president shot confusion disability 25th amendment reagan autobiography argue president reagan intent transfer power vice president bush clear fielding adds personally know intend amendment conveyed staff conveyed president senate firm wish create precedent binding successor june president underwent chose section amendment temporarily transferring powers vice president medical procedure began ended bush minutes later resume presidential powers duties president doctor conducted overall examination said recommended additional time sure unlike reagan letter bush letter specifically cited section authority transfer power july president bush invoked amendment response having undergo temporarily transferring powers vice president president bush invoked section reclaimed powers happened bush specifically cited section transferred presidential powers vice president reclaimed powers considered section documented instances invocation section fifth amendment considered involved 40th president united_states ronald_reagan reagan assassination attempt following attempted assassination ronald_reagan march vice president assume presidential powers duties acting president reagan unable section surgery bush section plane returning texas reagan surgery time bush arrived washington primary sponsor amendment senate wrote section invoked reagan alleged assuming role white_house chief staff advised predecessor staff prepared possible invocation fifth amendment reagan perceived according pbs program baker transition team told staff weekend shocked reagan lazy baker prepared 25th amendment relieve duties reagan biographer stated interview aired program incoming baker people decided meeting monday official meeting president cluster table cabinet room watch closely behaved losing mental grip morris went explain reagan course completely unaware launching death watch came stimulated press new people performed end meeting threw hands realizing perfect command
Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution