Executive Branch Responsibilities With Respect To Orders of Succession

2008-09-15Executive Order 13472
Signed by: George W. Bush
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Headline: Agencies Must Establish and Update Orders of Succession

What it does: Agencies must establish, maintain, and revise orders of succession and submit proposed orders for presidential review.

Real World Impact:
  • Requires agencies to submit succession plans to the Counsel to the President.
  • Changes how agencies maintain leadership continuity during vacancies or emergencies.
  • May require agencies to send final orders to the Office of Management and Budget.
Topics: continuity of government, agency management, succession planning, government operations

Summary

This order requires each executive branch agency, including the U.S. Postal Service and Postal Regulatory Commission, to establish and maintain an order of succession so agencies can perform essential functions under all conditions. Agencies must draft, update, or revise succession lists and send proposed drafts to the Counsel to the President for review; some agencies must also submit final orders to the Office of Management and Budget.

The goal is to keep government services working during vacancies, emergencies, or other disruptions.

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