Simone Lawson
The US Constitution outlines the duties of the Vice President of the United States. The Vice President is often described as being a heartbeat away from the presidency, and the Constitution states that the Vice President takes on the “powers and duties” of the presidency in the event of a president's removal, death, resignation, or inability to serve. The Vice President is also the President of the Senate, and is responsible for presiding over Senate meetings, maintaining order and decorum, recognizing members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules. They vote on legislation only when Senators are deadlocked 50-50. In addition, the Vice President performs ceremonial duties in place of the President, and may be deployed by sitting presidents as advocates and ambassadors domestically and globally.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main responsibility | President of the Senate |
| Role as President of the Senate | Presiding over Senate meetings, maintaining order and decorum, recognizing members to speak, interpreting the Senate's rules, and casting a vote in the case of a tie |
| Oath of office | "I, [first name last name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God." |
| Succession in case of president's removal, death, resignation, or inability | The vice president takes over the "powers and duties" of the presidency, either as an acting president or as the president |
| Procedure for presidential incapacity | Sections 3 and 4 of the 25th Amendment outline the process for self-declared incapacity and incapacity declared by the vice president and a majority of the Cabinet, respectively |
| Eligibility requirements | Must be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years old, and have been a resident of the United States for at least 14 years |
| Removal from office | The vice president can be removed from office through impeachment and conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors |
| Ceremonial duties | Performing ceremonial duties in place of the president |
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What You'll Learn
The vice president's role as President of the Senate
The US Constitution outlines the vice president's role as President of the Senate in Article One, Section Three: "The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided." As head of the upper house of Congress, the vice president's primary responsibility is to preside over Senate proceedings and vote on legislation or other motions only when senators are deadlocked in a 50-50 tie. This role has been exercised 243 times by 35 different vice presidents.
Historically, the vice president regularly presided over the Senate, but today, their involvement is typically limited to breaking ties. From 1789 until the 1950s, serving as the presiding officer of the Senate was the vice president's primary duty. Since the 1830s, vice presidents have occupied offices near the Senate Chamber. The vice president also formally presides over the receiving and counting of electoral ballots cast in presidential elections.
The role of the vice president has evolved over time, with their responsibilities within the executive branch expanding while their legislative branch role has contracted. While the vice presidency was initially considered insignificant, it began to grow in importance during the 1930s, with the establishment of the Office of the Vice President in the executive branch in 1939. Today, vice presidents serve as principal advisors to the president, make public appearances, and perform ceremonial duties in place of the president. They are also statutory members of the Cabinet and the National Security Council, influencing executive government and national security matters.
The vice president's role in presidential succession further underscores their proximity to the presidency. According to the Constitution, in the event of the president's removal from office, death, or resignation, or inability to discharge their duties, the vice president assumes the presidency. This provision, outlined in Article II, Section 1, and further clarified by amendments, ensures the continuity of leadership in times of presidential vacancy or incapacity.
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The vice president taking on the powers and duties of the president
The US Constitution outlines the role of the vice president in Article II, Section 1, which states that in the event of the "removal of the President from office, or of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties" of the office, the vice president shall assume the role. This means that the vice president takes on the powers and duties of the president in these circumstances.
The 25th Amendment further clarifies this process, with Sections 3 and 4 addressing situations where the president is temporarily or permanently unable to lead. Section 3 allows the president to notify Congress of their inability to discharge their powers and designate the vice president to act as president until they can resume their duties. Section 4 comes into play if the president does not notify Congress, allowing the vice president, in conjunction with a majority of the cabinet or a disability board, to declare the president unfit to serve, at which point the vice president becomes the acting president.
The vice president's role as the "President of the Senate" is also outlined in Article I, Section 3, where they are responsible for presiding over Senate meetings, maintaining order, recognising members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules. In this capacity, the vice president can vote on legislation or other motions only when Senators are deadlocked, a situation that has occurred 243 times involving 35 vice presidents.
Historically, the role of the vice president has evolved. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, vice presidents were reluctant to assume presidential powers during periods of presidential illness or disability, not wanting to appear as usurpers. This changed with the "Tyler Precedent" in 1841, when Vice President John Tyler asserted that he had succeeded to the presidency, not just its powers and duties, after President William Henry Harrison's death. This precedent stood until 1967 when the 25th Amendment formalised the procedure. Since then, vice presidents have increasingly taken on executive branch functions, attending cabinet meetings, representing the president domestically and globally, and serving as campaign surrogates.
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The vice president's swearing-in ceremony
In 1937, Inauguration Day moved to January 20th, and the vice president's ceremony moved from the Senate Chamber to the Inaugural platform on the Capitol's East Front. This change was enacted by the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. While the new location resulted in a loss of distinctness for the vice president's ceremony, it gained a public audience, reflecting the growing political importance of the vice president.
In 1981, the inaugural ceremonies moved to the West Front Terrace of the Capitol, where they have been held ever since. Today, the vice president recites the oath on the Inaugural platform constructed on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol, prior to the swearing-in of the president.
The oath of office for the vice president is the same as that for members of the United States Congress and members of the president's cabinet. The current oath, in use since 1884, reads:
> "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."
The vice president-elect takes the oath of office at noon, followed by the delivery of their inaugural address. The newly sworn-in vice president then calls the Senate into an extraordinary session, and the Senators-elect take their oaths of office. Finally, the procession moves towards the East Front Portico of the Capitol for the president's swearing-in ceremony.
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The vice president's eligibility and selection
The Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest executive officer of the U.S. federal government. The Vice President is first in the presidential line of succession and is also the officer of the legislative branch, president of the Senate, and the presiding officer of the Senate.
The eligibility requirements for the Vice President are outlined in the Twelfth Amendment, which states that "no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice President of the United States". This means that the same qualifications for the office of President also apply to the Vice President. Additionally, Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment disqualifies anyone who has sworn an oath to uphold the Constitution and later "engaged in insurrection or rebellion" against the U.S. or provided aid to its enemies. This disqualification can be removed by a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress.
The selection process for the Vice President is outlined in Article II, Section 1, Clause 3 of the Constitution. Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to the combined total of its Senate and House of Representatives membership. Each elector votes for two people for President, and the individual with the next largest number of votes after the President becomes Vice President. If there is a tie or no majority, contingent election protocols are followed. In modern times, the presidential candidate typically selects their preferred running mate, who is then formally chosen by the party.
The role of the Vice President has evolved over time, with an increased focus on executive functions and a reduced role in the legislative branch. The Vice President serves as a key advisor, governing partner, and representative of the President, often playing a crucial role in shaping foreign policy and national security matters. The Vice President is also a statutory member of the Cabinet and the National Security Council.
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The vice president's ceremonial duties
The US Constitution outlines the vice president's main responsibility as the role of President of the Senate. As per Article One, Section Three of the US Constitution:
> The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be equally divided.
As head of the upper house of Congress, the vice president votes on legislation or other motions only when Senators are deadlocked 50-50. This has occurred 243 times and involved 35 different vice presidents. While in the past, the vice president would actively preside over Senate proceedings, nowadays, they only get involved to break a tie.
In addition, the vice president's role has expanded over time to include executive branch functions, such as attending cabinet meetings and representing the president both domestically and abroad. They are also deployed as presidential campaign surrogates.
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Frequently asked questions
The Vice President's main responsibility is to assume the role of President of the Senate, and to act as a tiebreaker in the case of an equally divided Senate vote. The Vice President also assumes the role and "powers and duties" of the President in the event of the President's removal, death, resignation, or inability to discharge their office.
The Vice President performs ceremonial duties in place of the President.
There are no special qualifications required to become a Vice President. However, most candidates have served in Congress, and some have been high-ranking military officers or state governors.
Vice presidential candidates are selected at National Conventions by the party as a whole once the Presidential candidate has been announced. Presidential candidates typically choose their own running mates. Voters then select the President and Vice President as a single package.
