[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 19 (Monday, May 13, 2002)]
[Page 782]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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. An original was not available for verification of the content 
of this memorandum.