Request for Question Clarification by
landog-ga
on
05 Aug 2005 01:32 PDT
Hi
This is a very interesting question.
"Sec. 3347. Details; Presidential authority
Instead of a detail under section 3345 or 3346 of this title, the
President may direct the head of another Executive department or
military department or another officer of an Executive department
or military department, whose appointment is vested in the
President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to
perform the duties of the office until a successor is appointed or
the absence or sickness stops. This section does not apply to a
vacancy in the office of Attorney General."
http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/usc/ttl5/ptIII/subptB/ch33/subchIII/sec3347.html
According to these records there was not a case in 1977 where the
Presidential authority appointed a temporary successor to Donald
Rumsfeld in 1977.
These records are also cross referenced with the military Secretary of
Defense history.
Donald H. Rumsfeld
Nov 20, 1975 - Jan 20, 1977
Harold Brown
Jan 21, 1977 - Jan 20, 1981
http://www.defenselink.mil/specials/secdef_histories/
Since April 24, 1996 the Secretary of the Navy would be the first in
line for succession of the US Secretary of Defense.
The Memorandum for the Secretary of Defense at www.whitehouse.gov tells us:
"SUBJECT: Order of Succession of Officers to Act as Secretary of Defense
Pursuant to the Constitution and laws of the United States, including
section 3345(a) of title 5, United States Code, and notwithstanding
Executive Order 13000 of April 24, 1996, I direct as follows:
(1) In the event of the death, permanent disability, or resignation of
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy shall act for and
perform the duties of the Secretary of Defense as Acting Secretary of
Defense.
(2) In the event of the temporary absence or temporary disability of
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the Navy shall act for and
perform the duties of the Secretary of Defense as Acting Secretary of
Defense. In these instances, the designation as 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
exercise during the absence, or to resume when the disability no
longer exists, the powers of his office."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/06/20050602-7.html
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=1996_register&docid=fr26ap96-138.pdf
Who is the head of the Navy Department?
"Since passage of the National Security Act of 1947, the secretary
heads the Navy Department under the supervision of the Secretary of
Defense. He or she ranks equally with the secretaries of the Army and
Air Force. The secretary has general responsibility for all naval
affairs. His or her main civilian aides include an undersecretary,
assistant secretaries and a special assistant."
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1225.html
Do you have any information contradicting the US government and/or
military official records?
If not I would like to post the above as the answer.
