[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 45 (Monday, November 15, 1993)]
[Pages 2299-2300]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 12879--Order of Succession of Officers To Act as 
Secretary of the Navy

 November 8, 1993

    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 the Authority of the Secretary of the Navy. 
(a) In the event of the death, permanent disability, or resignation of 
the Secretary of the Navy, the incumbents holding the positions 
designated below, in the order indicated, shall act for and exercise the 
powers of the Secretary of the Navy:
    (1) The Under Secretary of the Navy.
    (2) The Assistant Secretaries and General Counsel of the Navy, in 
the order fixed by their length of services as permanent appointees in 
such positions.
    (3) The Chief of Naval Operations.
    (4) The Commandant of the Marine Corps.
    (b) In the event of the temporary absence or temporary disability of 
the Secretary of the Navy, the incumbents holding the Department of the 
Navy positions designated in paragraph (a) of this section, in the order 
indicated, shall act for and exercise the powers of the Secretary of the 
Navy.
    (1) In these instances, the designation of an Acting Secretary of 
the Navy 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.

[[Page 2300]]

    (2) In the event that the Secretary of the Navy is merely absent 
from this position, the Secretary of the Navy may continue to exercise 
the powers and fulfill the duties of his office during his absence, 
notwithstanding the provisions of this order.
    (c) Precedence among those officers designated in paragraph (a) of 
this section who have the same date of appointment shall be determined 
by the Secretary of the Navy at the time that such appointments are 
made.
    (d) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) and (b) of this section, an 
officer shall not act for or exercise the powers of the Secretary of the 
Navy 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 the Navy 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.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
November 8, 1993.

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:59 p.m., November 8, 
1993]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on 
November 10.