Bush transfer of power
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The Bush transfer of power occurred on the morning of June 29, 2002, when President George W. Bush temporarily transfered the powers of the office to Dick Cheney. Bush was the second President to temporarily transfer power to the Vice President.
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Background
President Bush was scheduled to undergo a colonoscopy procedure on the morning of June 29, 2002, during which time he would be under light sedation. Just nine months removed from the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bush was intent on seeing that, in the event of a crisis or other situation which left him incapacitated, there would be no question of Vice President Cheney's authority.
At 7:09 a.m. that day, Bush signed a letter to invoke the 25th Amendment. He then gave the letters to White House Counsel Alberto Gonzalez, who carried them in a golf cart to a fax machine, then transmitted them by facsimilie to the House Speaker, Dennis Hastert, President pro tempore, Robert Byrd, and the Vice President, Dick Cheney. Gonzales then called Hastert's and Byrd's offices to confirm receipt of the letters. He then called the Vice President to advise him of the transfer.
When the speaker and president pro-tempore received the letters, executive authority was transferred to Vice President Cheney, who became Acting President. Unlike the letter drafted by Ronald Reagan which temporarily transferred power to George H. W. Bush on July 13, 1985, there was no perception of ambiguity regarding Bush's intent, as he explicitly cited Section 3 of the 25th amendment.
Following the procedure, at 9:24 a.m. Bush transmitted a second letter to the House Speaker and President pro tempore, formally declaring himself capable of resuming presidential authority.
The text of both letters is below.
Invocation letter
- June 29, 2002 (0709 hours)
- Dear Mr. Speaker (Mr. President:)
- As my staff has previously communicated to you, I will undergo this morning a routine medical procedure requiring sedation. In view of present circumstances, I have determined to transfer temporarily my Constitutional powers and duties to the Vice President during the brief period of the procedure and recovery.
- Accordingly, in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, this letter shall constitute my written declaration that I am unable to discharge the Constitutional powers and duties of the office of President of the United States. Pursuant to Section 3, the Vice President shall discharge those powers and duties as Acting President until I transmit to you a written declaration that I am able to resume the discharge of those powers and duties.
- Sincerely,
- GEORGE W. BUSH
Revocation letter
- Dear Mr. Speaker (Mr. President:)
- In accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, this letter shall constitute my written declaration that I am presently able to resume the discharge of the Constitutional powers and duties of the office of President of the United States. With the transmittal of this letter, I am resuming those powers and duties effective immediately.
- Sincerely,
- GEORGE W. BUSH
See also
External links
- Physicians give Bush a clean bill of health (http://www.primarymonitor.com/news/stories2002/0630_bush_2002.shtml)