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CNN Live At Daybreak

Ask CNN: What is the Presidential Line of Succession?

Aired July 05, 2001 - 07:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRETT BEVILL, TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA: This is Brett Bevill from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

I want to ask CNN: What is the presidential line of succession and at what point does that line end?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: The Constitution says the president shall be succeeded by the vice president. And after that, it leaves it up to Congress.

Well, Congress has acted three times in the past, most recently by a law passed in 1947, which is still in effect. That law says that after the vice president comes the speaker of the House. Right now, that would be a Republican, Representative Denny Hastert of Illinois. And next comes the president pro tempore of the Senate. That's a Democrat: Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia -- and after that, the Cabinet officers in the order in which their departments were created.

At the top of the list is the most senior Cabinet officer, the Secretary of State. That would be Colin Powell. The next most senior Cabinet officers were all created at the beginning of the Republic in 1789: Treasury, Defense, and Justice. The last in line at No. 17 is the secretary of Veterans Affairs, Anthony Principi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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