Jonah Patel
The terms of the President and Vice President of the United States end at noon on the 20th of January of the year in which their terms would have ended. The 20th Amendment, Section 3, states that if the President-elect dies before their term begins, the Vice President-elect becomes President on Inauguration Day and serves a full term. The 25th Amendment, ratified in 1967, establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the Vice President and authorises the Vice President and a majority of the President's cabinet or Congress to decide if the President is unable to perform their duties. The 22nd Amendment limits the President to two terms in office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Length of presidential term | Exactly four years |
| End of presidential term | Noon on the 20th of January |
| Inauguration Day | 20th of January |
| Previous Inauguration Day | 4th of March |
| Length of vice presidential term | Four years |
| Start of vice presidential term | Noon on the 20th of January |
| Vice president's role | Officer in the legislative branch, President of the Senate, advisor to the president |
| Vice president's power | Can break a tie vote in the Senate |
| Vice president's election | Indirectly elected by the people through the Electoral College |
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What You'll Learn
- The US President and Vice President's terms end at noon on 20 January
- The Vice President is first in the presidential line of succession
- The Vice President can become acting President if the President is temporarily disabled
- The Vice President is indirectly elected at the same time as the President
- The Vice President's salary was $235,100 in 2019 and is $284,600 in 2024
The US President and Vice President's terms end at noon on 20 January
The Twentieth Amendment states that "the terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January [...] and the terms of their successors shall then begin." This amendment also outlines the procedure for when a President has not been chosen by Inauguration Day. In this case, Congress can either appoint an interim President or decide on another method of selection. The appointed individual will serve until a President or Vice President is qualified.
The Presidential Succession Act, last revised in 2006, and the Twenty-fifth Amendment, adopted in 1967, outline the procedures for filling a vacancy in the office of the Vice President. The Vice President is designated as first in the presidential line of succession by the Article II succession clause. Since 1789, the Vice President has succeeded to the presidency intra-term nine times, eight of which were due to the incumbent's death, and once due to resignation.
The Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, established term limits for the presidency, stating that "no person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice". This amendment was proposed due to concerns about executive overreach following Franklin D. Roosevelt's unprecedented four terms as President.
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The Vice President is first in the presidential line of succession
The terms of the President and Vice President of the United States end at noon on the 20th of January. The Vice President is first in the presidential line of succession, as designated by the Article II succession clause. This clause also authorises Congress to provide for a line of succession beyond the vice president, which has been done on three occasions. The Presidential Succession Act was adopted in 1947 and last revised in 2006.
The 20th Amendment, Section 3, states that if the president-elect dies before their term begins, the vice president-elect becomes president on Inauguration Day and serves for the full term. The amendment also authorises Congress to act in instances where neither a president-elect nor a vice president-elect have qualified. The 25th Amendment, Section 1, also clarifies that the vice president is the direct successor of the president.
The 25th Amendment, adopted in 1967, establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president. It also provides for situations where the president is temporarily disabled, such as if they undergo a surgical procedure or become mentally unfit. In these cases, the vice president can become acting president. The amendment outlines a process where the vice president and a majority of the president's cabinet or Congress can decide if the president is unable to perform their duties. If a majority agrees, the president's powers are transferred to the vice president. The president can, however, announce that they are able to resume their duties, after which the voting group has four days to disagree. If they do not, the president's powers are fully restored. If the group disagrees with the president's assertion, Congress conducts a quick vote to decide if the president is unable to serve.
Since 1789, the vice president has succeeded to the presidency intra-term on nine occasions, eight of which were due to the incumbent's death, and one due to resignation.
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The Vice President can become acting President if the President is temporarily disabled
The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession and can become acting President if the President is temporarily disabled. This is outlined in the US Constitution and the Presidential Succession Act of 1947.
The 25th Amendment, which was adopted in 1967, establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president. Sections 3 and 4 of the Amendment provide for situations where the President is temporarily or permanently unable to lead, such as if the President undergoes a surgical procedure, becomes seriously ill or injured, or is otherwise unable to discharge the powers or duties of the presidency. In such cases, the Vice President can become the acting President.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1792 provided for succession after the President and Vice President, with the President pro tempore of the Senate followed by the Speaker of the House. The Act was last revised in 2006 and refers specifically to officers beyond the Vice President acting as President rather than becoming President when filling a vacancy. The Cabinet has 15 members, with the Secretary of State being the highest and fourth in line, followed by the other Cabinet secretaries in the order of their departments' creation.
Since 1789, the Vice President has succeeded to the presidency intra-term on nine occasions, eight times due to the incumbent's death, and once due to resignation. The "Tyler Precedent" established that a Vice President assumes the full title and role of President upon the death, resignation, or removal from office of their predecessor. This was codified through the 25th Amendment in 1967.
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The Vice President is indirectly elected at the same time as the President
The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest-ranking office in the executive branch of the US federal government. The vice president is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the president of the Senate. In this capacity, the vice president can preside over the US Senate but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote.
The US 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. However, it is important to note that the electoral votes are cast separately for these two offices. The vice president takes over the "powers and duties" of the presidency in the event of a president's removal, death, resignation, or inability to carry out their duties. This is outlined in Article II, Section 1, Clause 6, which also stipulates that the vice president is first in the presidential line of succession.
The vice president's role has evolved over time, with Franklin D. Roosevelt raising the stature of the office by renewing the practice of inviting the vice president to cabinet meetings in 1933. Roosevelt's first vice president, John Nance Garner, was the first to be sworn into office on the Capitol steps in the same ceremony with the president, a tradition that continues today.
It is worth noting that there has been debate and legal interpretation regarding whether a twice-elected president can become a vice president. While some argue that the Constitution prevents this, others interpret the relevant constitutional provisions as allowing for this possibility.
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The Vice President's salary was $235,100 in 2019 and is $284,600 in 2024
The Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest-ranking office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the President. The Vice President is also an officer in the legislative branch, as the President of the Senate. The Vice President is empowered to preside over the Senate but may not vote except to cast a tie-breaking vote. The Vice President is 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 Vice President's salary was $235,100 in 2019. For 2024, the salary has been set at $284,600. However, due to a pay freeze in effect since 2019, the actual portion of that salary that is payable remains $235,100. The Vice President's salary was set by the 1989 Government Salary Reform Act, which also provides an automatic cost-of-living adjustment for federal employees. The rationale for the Vice President's salary, as described by the founding fathers in the Federalist Papers, is that the President's salary reinforces their status as an employee of and servant to the American public. A President who is not beholden to the people for their livelihood is more likely to act in their own interests.
The President's salary has only been increased five times in U.S. history. Traditionally, aside from moral compunctions, the external barrier to Congressional pay increases has been the threat of being voted out of office. This was codified in an Amendment first proposed in the 1700s and added to the Constitution in 1992. It reads:
> No law varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.
In other words, Congressional pay increases won't kick in until after the next inauguration, and so anyone who votes to raise their pay has to answer to the voters first.
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Frequently asked questions
The terms of the President and Vice President end at noon on the 20th of January.
In the case where a President is deemed unfit to perform their duties but does not want to step down, the 25th Amendment states that the Vice President and a majority of the President's cabinet or Congress can decide to remove the President. The President can then announce that they are able to resume their duties, and the voting group has four days to disagree. If they disagree, they can conduct a quick vote in Congress to decide if the President is unable to serve.
According to the 20th Amendment, the Vice President-elect becomes President on Inauguration Day and serves for the full term.
