The Presidential Succession Act was made in case neither the president or vice president could "discharge the powers and duties of the office".



1. The Vice President Joseph Biden​
2. Speaker of the House John Boehner​
3. President pro tempore of the Senate Patrick Leahy​
4. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton​
5. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner​
6. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta​
7. Attorney General Eric Holder​
8. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar​
9. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack​
10. Secretary of Commerce John Bryson​
11. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis​
12. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius​
13. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan​
14. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood​
15. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu​
16. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan​
17. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki​
18. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano​





After John F. Kennedy was assassinated his Vice president Lyndon Johnson (below) was sworn in as president.