SCHOLARS PRAISE SUCCESSION PLAN.Byline: Lisa Friedman Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - If tragedy strikes the nation's leaders, America would be better off under San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. Congressman Brad Sherman's plan for presidential succession In politics, presidential succession is a series of steps established by the government of a nation or state to assure a smooth transition of power should the president, vice president, or any other executive authority be unable to complete their duties. , constitutional scholars said Wednesday. In a hearing before a House panel, academics and lawmakers praised the proposal by the Sherman Oaks Democrat for succession to run through the Cabinet rather than through congressional leadership. ``Right now, arguably there is a flaw in the way we replace our president, and we're trying to head off the unthinkable,'' Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution said. Sherman said his bill would prevent a situation in which the House speaker or Senate president pro tem president pro tem n. pl. presidents pro tem Informal A president pro tempore. of a different political party takes over. ``The will of the people would be subverted if a congressional leader of a different party ascended to the presidency and completely reversed the course of government,'' Sherman said. ``Current law could lead terrorists to believe that they could kill the president and vice president and radically alter U.S. policy.'' In addition to running the line of succession Noun 1. line of succession - the order in which individuals are expected to succeed one another in some official position line - a formation of people or things one behind another; "the line stretched clear around the corner"; "you must wait in a long line at the through the Cabinet, Sherman also proposed adding five ambassadors living outside Washington, D.C., to the end of the succession list in case the capital was attacked and all leaders were killed. Currently, succession is designated by the Presidential Succession Act The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 () establishes the order of succession to the office of President of the United States in the event neither a President nor Vice President is able to "discharge the powers and duties of the office. of 1947, which lists the line as president, vice president, House speaker, president pro tempore president pro tem·po·re n. pl. presidents pro tempore The senator who presides over the U.S. Senate in the absence of the Vice President. of the Senate, followed by Cabinet secretaries. Yale law professor Akhil Reed Amar Akhil Reed Amar (born 1958) is Southmayd Professor of Law at Yale Law School, an expert on constitutional law and criminal procedure. Biography Amar is a summa cum laude graduate of Yale College (B.A., 1980) and the Yale Law School (J.D. called it ``a disastrous statute, an accident waiting to happen.'' Among the problems, he said, are that any person serving as acting president can be bumped by an officer higher in the order of succession An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant. Monarchies and nobility . Amar and attorney M. Miller Baker said the statute would leave the acting president vulnerable at a time when America would most need clear authority. They and Library of Congress historian Thomas H. Neale said Sherman's bill fixes most of the problems. Sherman said he believes the committee will pass the legislation next year. The hearing touched several times on the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. ``This is not academic. This is in real time,'' Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., said. Lisa Friedman, (202) 662-8731 lisa.friedman(at)langnews.com |
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