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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 12, 2003

Memorandum for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs

SUBJECT: Designation of Officers of the Department of

Veterans Affairs to Act as Secretary of Veterans Affairs

By the authority vested in me as President under the Constitution and laws of the United States of America and pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., I hereby order that:

Section 1. Order of Succession.

During any period when the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Secretary), the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Deputy Secretary), and the officers designated by Executive Order 13247 of December 18, 2001, to perform the functions and duties of the office of Secretary have died, resigned, or otherwise become unable to perform the functions and duties of the office of Secretary, the following officers of the Department of Veterans Affairs, in the order listed, shall perform the functions and duties of the office of Secretary, if they are eligible to act as Secretary under the provisions of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, until such time as at least one of the officers mentioned above is able to perform the functions and duties of the office of Secretary:

Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 8 Director, Veterans Health Administration; VISN 7 Director, Veterans Health Administration; Veterans Benefits Administration Southern Area Director; and North Florida/South Georgia Healthcare System Director.

Sec. 2. Exceptions.

(a) No individual who is serving in an office listed in section 1 in an acting capacity, by virtue of so serving, shall act as Secretary pursuant to this memorandum.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this memorandum, the President retains discretion, to the extent permitted by the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., to depart from this memorandum in designating an acting Secretary. Sec. 3. Publication.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

GEORGE W. BUSH

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