George W. Bush: Letter to Congressional Leaders on the Temporary Transfer of the Powers and Duties of President of the United States

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Letter to Congressional Leaders on the Temporary Transfer of the Powers and Duties of President of the United States
June 29, 2002

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

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Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear 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

Note: Letters were sent to J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Robert C. Byrd, President pro tempore of the Senate. The Office of the Press Secretary released the text of both letters. Originals were not available for verification of the content of the letters.

Citation: John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters, The American Presidency Project [online]. Santa Barbara, CA. Available from World Wide Web: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=63676.

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