[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 82 (Friday, April 26, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 18483-18484]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-10550]



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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 82 / Friday, April 26, 1996 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 18483]]

                Executive Order 13000 of April 24, 1996

                
Order of Succession of Officers To Act as 
                Secretary of
                Defense

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, including section 3347 of title 5, United 
                States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Succession to Act as the Secretary of 
                Defense. (a) In the event of the death, permanent 
                disability, or resignation of the Secretary of Defense, 
                the incumbents holding the Department of Defense 
                positions designated below, in the order indicated, 
                shall act for and exercise the powers of the Secretary 
                of Defense as Acting Secretary of Defense:

                      (1) Deputy Secretary of Defense.
                      (2) Secretary of the Army.
                      (3) Secretary of the Navy.
                      (4) Secretary of the Air Force.
                      (5) Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition 
                and Technology.
                      (6) Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.
                      (7) Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller).
                      (8) Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and 
                Readiness.
                      (9) Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for 
                Acquisition and Technology.
                      (10) Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for 
                Policy.
                      (11) Director of Defense Research and 
                Engineering.
                      (12) The Assistant Secretaries of Defense, the 
                Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, and the 
                General Counsel of the Department of Defense, in the 
                order fixed by their length of service as permanent 
                appointees in such positions.
                      (13) Under Secretaries of the Army, the Navy, and 
                the Air Force, in the order fixed by their length of 
                service as permanent appointees in such positions.
                      (14) Assistant Secretaries of the Army, the Navy, 
                and the Air Force whose appointments are vested in the 
                President, and General Counsels of the Army, the Navy, 
                and the Air Force, in the order fixed by their length 
                of service as permanent appointees in such positions.
                    (b) In the event of the temporary absence or 
                temporary disability of the Secretary of Defense, the 
                incumbents holding the Department of Defense positions 
                designated in paragraph (a) of this section, in the 
                order indicated, shall act for and exercise the powers 
                of the Secretary of Defense as Acting Secretary of 
                Defense.
                      (1) In these instances, the designation of an 
                Acting Secretary of Defense applies only for the 
                duration of the Secretary's absence or disability, and 
                does not affect the authority of the Secretary to 
                resume the powers of his office upon his return.
                      (2) In the event that the Secretary of Defense is 
                temporarily absent from his position, the Secretary may 
                continue to exercise the powers and fulfill the duties 
                of this office during his absence, notwithstanding the 
                provisions of this order.

[[Page 18484]]

                    (c) Precedence among those officers designated in 
                paragraphs (a)(12)-(14) of this section who have the 
                same appointment date shall be determined by the 
                Secretary of Defense at the time that such appointments 
                are made.
                    (d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this 
                section, an officer shall not act for or exercise the 
                powers of the Secretary of Defense under this order if 
                that officer serves only in an acting capacity in the 
                position that would otherwise entitle him to do so.

                Sec. 2. Temporary Nature of Succession. Succession to 
                act for and exercise the powers of the Secretary of 
                Defense pursuant to this order shall be on a temporary 
                or interim basis and shall not have the effect of 
                vacating the statutory appointment held by the 
                successor.

                Sec. 3. Revocation of Prior Executive Order. Executive 
                Order No. 12787 of December 31, 1991, is hereby 
                revoked.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    April 24, 1996.

[FR Doc. 96-10550
Filed 4-25-96; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P