For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
December 28, 2001
Executive Order on Succession in the Department of Veterans Affairs
Executive Order Providing An Order of Succession Within the Department of Veterans Affairs
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States of America, including Subchapter III of
Chapter 33 of title 5 of the United States Code, it is hereby ordered
that:
Sec. 1. Subject to the provisions of section 3 of this
Executive Order, the officers named in section 2, in the order listed,
shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the office of
Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary) during any period when both
the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Deputy
Secretary) have died, resigned, or are otherwise unable to perform the
functions and duties of the office of Secretary.
Sec. 2. Order of Succession.
(a) Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health;
(b) Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits;
(c) Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Memorial
Affairs;
(d) General Counsel of the Department of Veterans
Affairs;
(e) Assistant Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, in the
order in which
they shall have taken the oath of office as Assistant
Secretaries, other than the Chief Financial Officer and, if an
Assistant Secretary, the Chief Information Officer;
(f) Chief Information Officer of the Department of
Veterans Affairs,
if the Chief Information Officer is an officer appointed by the
President by and with the consent of the Senate;
(g) Chief Financial Officer of the Department of
Veterans Affairs;
and
(h) Chairman, Board of Veterans= Appeals.
Sec. 3. Exceptions.
(a) No individual who is serving in an office listed in
section
2(a)-(h) in an acting capacity shall act as Secretary pursuant to
this Executive Order.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Executive
Order, the
President retains discretion, to the extent permitted by
Subchapter III of Chapter 33 of title 5 of the United States
Code, to depart from this Executive Order in designating an
acting Secretary.
GEORGE W. BUSH
THE WHITE HOUSE,
December 18, 2001.
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