[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 52 (Monday, December 31, 2001)]
[Page 1840]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13247--Providing an Order of Succession Within the 
Department of Veterans Affairs

December 18, 2001

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, including Subchapter III of 
Chapter 33 of title 5 of the United States Code, it is hereby ordered 
that:
    Sec. 1. Subject to the provisions of section 3 of this Executive 
Order, the officers named in section 2, in the order listed, shall act 
as and perform the functions and duties of the office of Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs (Secretary) during any period when both the Secretary 
and the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs (Deputy Secretary) have 
died, resigned, or are otherwise unable to perform the functions and 
duties of the office of Secretary.
    Sec. 2. Order of Succession.
    (a) Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health;
    (b) Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Benefits;
    (c) Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Memorial Affairs;
    (d) General Counsel of the Department of Veterans Affairs;
    (e) Assistant Secretaries of Veterans Affairs, in the order in which 
they shall have taken the oath of office as Assistant Secretaries, other 
than the Chief Financial Officer and, if an Assistant Secretary, the 
Chief Information Officer;
    (f) Chief Information Officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
if the Chief Information Officer is an officer appointed by the 
President by and with the consent of the Senate;
    (g) Chief Financial Officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
and
    (h) Chairman, Board of Veterans' Appeals.
    Sec. 3. Exceptions.
    (a) No individual who is serving in an office listed in section 
2(a)-(h) in an acting capacity shall act as Secretary pursuant to this 
Executive Order.
    (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Executive Order, the 
President retains discretion, to the extent permitted by Subchapter III 
of Chapter 33 of title 5 of the United States Code, to depart from this 
Executive Order in designating an acting Secretary.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 December 18, 2001.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., December 20, 
2001]

Note: This Executive order was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on December 28, and it was published in the Federal Register 
on December 21.