Clarifying Amendment 25
The portion of Amendment 25 that would pertain to removing Donald Trump as President is Section 4, which begins:
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Things that Congress should legislate:
1. The "principal officers" (for the purposes of Amendment 25) shall be designated on the White House website. Also, there should be verbiage added to the oath of office for these officers that acknowledges this specific responsibility.
2. The Amendment 25 duties stay with the individual until a successor is *confirmed* by the US Senate.
2a. The President can't limit votes against her/himself by firing people.
2b. Principals can't evade responsibility by resigning.
3. The meaning of "majority" should be clarified. I think it should be either a simple majority by number of principals or the majority of the federal government (by size of budget). This weighting system should be quantified in advance as part of the authorization bills.
4. Congress should be empowered to *require* the principals to take a recorded vote on the President's competence.
5. An unusual number of vacancies shall empower either the majority or minority leaders in Congress to demand a competency vote.
6. Congress has to confirm a full cabinet before Congress can force Amendment 25 matters.
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