Simone Lawson
The Vice President of the United States, also known as VPOTUS or Veep, is the second-highest-ranking office in the executive branch of the US federal government. The Vice President is often referred to as being a heartbeat away from the presidency, as they take over the powers and duties of the presidency in the event of a president's death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the office. The Vice President is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the President of the Senate, and is empowered to preside over the US Senate, but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ranking | Second-highest ranking office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government |
| Line of succession | First in the presidential line of succession |
| Election | Indirectly elected at the same time as the president to a four-year term of office by the people of the United States through the Electoral College |
| Role | Officer in the legislative branch |
| Role | President of the Senate |
| Voting rights | Cannot vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote |
| Filling vacancy | A vacancy in the office of vice president may be filled by presidential nomination and confirmation by a majority vote in both houses of Congress |
| Powers and duties | Takes over the "powers and duties" of the presidency in the event of a president's removal, death, resignation, or inability |
| Election purpose | Serves an electoral rather than a government purpose |
| Role | Presiding officer of the Senate |
| Role | Principal advisor to the president |
| Role | Preside over and certify the tally of electoral college votes after a Presidential election |
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What You'll Learn
The VP's role as President of the Senate
The Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS or veep) is the second-highest-ranking office in the executive branch of the US federal government. The VP is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the President of the Senate.
The US Constitution originally envisioned a small role for the VP, which was to be filled by whoever finished second in the presidential race. The VP's role as President of the Senate was established by Article I, Section 3 of the US Constitution, which states: "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 VP's role is to preside over Senate meetings, maintain order and decorum, recognize members to speak, and interpret the Senate's rules. The VP is empowered to vote on legislation or other motions only when senators are deadlocked 50-50. This has occurred 243 times and involved 35 different vice presidents.
In practice, since the early 20th century, the VP has only infrequently presided over the Senate, and the duty of presiding over Senate proceedings has been delegated to other Senate members. Rule XIX, which governs debate, does not authorize the VP to participate in debate, and only grants members of the Senate (and, upon appropriate notice, former presidents of the United States) the privilege of addressing the Senate.
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The VP's power to break a tie vote in the Senate
The Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS or veep) is the second-highest-ranking office in the executive branch of the US federal government. The VP is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the President of the Senate. The role of the vice presidency has changed dramatically since the office was created during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. While the VP is empowered to preside over the US Senate, they may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote.
The VP's role as President of the Senate is outlined in Article I, Section 3 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 VP 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 VP would actively preside over Senate proceedings, nowadays, it is customary for them to only get involved to break a tie.
The VP's role in the Senate also extends beyond just casting tie-breaking votes. As President of the Senate, the VP is responsible for maintaining order and decorum, recognizing members to speak, and interpreting the Senate's rules. Additionally, the VP along with the Speaker of the House, officially signs or attests to bills sent to the President for signature. This aspect of the role was expanded with the ratification of the 12th Amendment.
While the VP's power to break a tie vote in the Senate is a crucial aspect of their constitutional role, it is important to note that the exact nature of the VP's role can vary depending on the administration. The VP also serves as a key presidential advisor, governing partner, and representative of the President, attending cabinet meetings and carrying out public appearances on their behalf.
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The VP's role in the Electoral College
The Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS or veep) is the second-highest-ranking office in the executive branch of the US federal government. The vice president is indirectly elected at the same time as the president to a four-year term of office by the people of the United States through the Electoral College. The Electoral College is a method of indirect popular election of the President of the United States. Instead of voting for a specific candidate, voters in an indirect popular election select a panel of individuals pledged to vote for a specific candidate.
The Twelfth Amendment provides that the vice president, in their capacity as the president of the Senate, receives the Electoral College votes, and then, in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, opens the sealed votes. The votes are then counted by Congress during a joint session, in accordance with the additional procedures prescribed by the Electoral Count Act and amended by the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act. The former specifies that the president of the Senate presides over the joint session, and the latter clarifies the solely ministerial role the president of the Senate serves in the process.
The vice president is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the president of the Senate. In this capacity, the vice president is empowered to preside over the United States Senate, but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote. The vice president along with the speaker of the house officially signed or attested to bills sent to the president for signature. The vice president's role within the executive branch has expanded, and the legislative branch role has contracted; for example, vice presidents now preside over the Senate infrequently.
The vice president's only formally recognized duty is to preside over and certify the tally of Electoral College votes after a presidential election. The Electoral College votes are cast separately for the offices of president and vice president. The vice president is elected by the voters of each state and the District of Columbia through the Electoral College, a body of electors formed every four years for the sole purpose of electing the president and vice president to concurrent four-year terms.
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The VP's role in the event of presidential vacancy
The Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest-ranking office in the executive branch of the US federal government. The VP is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the President of the Senate. In this capacity, the VP is empowered to preside over the US Senate but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote.
The VP's role in the event of a presidential vacancy is to assume the "powers and duties" of the presidency. This is stipulated in Article II, Section 1, Clause 6 of the US Constitution, which outlines that in the event of the president's "removal, death, resignation, or inability", the VP takes over.
The exact nature of this role has been debated, as the Constitution does not clearly state whether the VP becomes the president or simply acts as president in such a scenario. The intent of the framers of the Constitution, as indicated in debate records and subsequent writings, was that the VP would temporarily exercise the powers and duties of the office without actually becoming the president. This interpretation was first tested in 1841, following the death of President William Henry Harrison, only 31 days into his term. Harrison's VP, John Tyler, asserted that under the Constitution, he had succeeded to the presidency, not just its powers and duties. This set a precedent, later formalised by the 25th Amendment, that the VP becomes president in the event of a presidential vacancy.
In addition to assuming the presidency in the event of a vacancy, the VP also has a role in the process of determining presidential vacancies. The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, sought to better define this process, including the VP's role in cases of presidential inability or disability. The first two sections of the amendment formalised the Tyler Precedent, stating that the VP becomes president in the event of the president's removal, death, or resignation.
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The VP's role as a presidential advisor
The role of the Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS or veep) has evolved significantly since the office was created during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Initially, the vice presidency had limited authority and was primarily a legislative role. The vice president's main constitutional responsibility was to preside over the Senate as the President of the Senate and cast a tie-breaking vote when needed.
Over time, the role has expanded beyond the legislative branch, and vice presidents now serve as key presidential advisors and governing partners. They are also statutory members of the United States Cabinet and the United States National Security Council, influencing executive government and national security matters.
The role of the vice president as a presidential advisor has become increasingly important. Vice presidents are often selected as running mates by presidential candidates, and their expertise and experience can complement the president's administration. For example, Jimmy Carter, elected in 1976 as an outsider to Washington, chose Walter Mondale as his running mate for his Washington expertise. This set a precedent for subsequent presidents, who continued to rely on their vice presidents as advisors and partners.
The vice president's role as a presidential advisor is not limited to domestic affairs. Vice presidents are also deployed as advocates, ambassadors, and representatives of the president in both domestic and global affairs. They may travel abroad, engage in international negotiations, and act as presidential surrogates in various capacities.
While the exact nature of the vice president's role may vary depending on the administration, the position has evolved to become a crucial partner to the president, providing advice, expertise, and representation in a wide range of matters.
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Frequently asked questions
The VP's only constitutional job is to act as President of the Senate, and to cast a vote in the case of a tie.
It means that if a sitting President dies or is impeached, the Vice President takes over.
The VP has many informal responsibilities, including making public appearances and performing ceremonial duties in place of the President. They also serve as a key presidential advisor and governing partner.
The role of the VP has changed significantly since it was first created during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. While the VP initially spent most of their time in Congress, their role in the executive branch has expanded in recent decades, while their legislative branch role has contracted.
