    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book I)]
    [March 19, 2002]
    [Page 759]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Memorandum on Designation of Officers of the Social Security
    Administration
    March 19, 2002

    Memorandum for the Commissioner of Social Security

    Subject: Designation of Officers of the Social Security Administration

        By the authority vested in me as President under the Constitution
    and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal
    Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., I hereby order
    that:
        Section 1. Order of Succession.
        During any period when both the Commissioner of Social Security
    (Commissioner) and the Deputy Commissioner of Social Security (Deputy
    Commissioner) have died, resigned, or otherwise become unable to perform
    the functions and duties of the office of Commissioner, the following
    officers of the Social Security Administration, in the order listed,
    shall perform the functions and duties of the office of Commissioner, if
    they are eligible to act as Commissioner under the provisions of the
    Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, until such time as the
    Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner is able to perform the functions and
    duties of the office of Commissioner:
        Chief of Staff;
        Deputy Commissioner for Operations; and
        Regional Commissioner, Philadelphia.
        Sec. 2. Exceptions.
        (a) No individual who is serving in an office listed in section 1 in
    an acting capacity, by virtue of so serving, shall act as Commissioner
    pursuant to this memorandum.
        (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this memorandum, the President
    retains discretion, to the extent permitted by the Federal Vacancies
    Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., to depart from this
    memorandum in designating an acting Commissioner.

                                                              George W. Bush

    Note: This memorandum was released by the Office of the Press Secretary
    on May 9.