Facts about Presidential Succession
Compiled by LBJ Library Staff

State of the Union Address State of the Union Address
credit: Cecil Stoughton

President Johnson delivers the State of the Union Address on January 8, 1964. Behind him are House Speaker John McCormack and Senate President pro tempore Carl Hayden.

During the period between the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963 and the inauguration of Hubert Humphrey as Vice President on January 20, 1965, there was no Vice President. Succession at that time was dictated by the Public Law 80-199, the Presidential Succession Act of July 18, 1947, and under the Act, the next in line for the Presidency after the Vice President was the Speaker of the House, then the President pro tempore of the Senate, followed by the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury and so on through the Cabinet, in order of rank.

There was no provision for appointing a new Vice President until the ratification of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution on February 10, 1967. When Johnson assumed office following the assassination of President Kennedy, the Speaker of the House was John McCormack of Massachusetts, and the President pro tempore of the Senate was Carl Hayden of Arizona.

President Johnson also addressed a Joint Session of Congress on November 27, 1963, five days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Behind him were Speaker of the House John McCormack and President pro tempore of the Senate Carl Hayden.

For more information on the ratification of the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, read the oral history interview with Senator Birch Bayh.