Designated survivor explained

In the United States, a designated survivor (or designated successor) is a person in the presidential line of succession who is kept distant from others in the line when they are gathered together, to reduce the chance that everyone in the line will be unable to take over the presidency in a catastrophic or mass-casualty event. The person is chosen to stay at an undisclosed secure location, away from such events such as State of the Union addresses and presidential inaugurations. The designation of a survivor is intended to prevent the decapitation of the government and to safeguard continuity in the presidency if the president, the vice president, and others in the presidential line of succession die. The procedure began in the 1950s, during the Cold War, with the idea that nuclear attack could kill government officials and the United States government would collapse.

In such an event, the surviving official highest in the line of succession in the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, who might be the designated survivor, would become Acting President of the United States. The designated survivor must be eligible to serve as president. The designated survivor usually is a member of the president's Cabinet and is chosen by the president.

Being the designated survivor does not guarantee that this official will be the person to assume the presidency in such a situation. For the 2010 State of the Union Address, Shaun Donovan, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, was the designated survivor, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also was absent from the address, for a conference in London; had a calamity occurred, Clinton, not Donovan, would have become Acting President, because her office was higher in the line of succession.

Congress also designates members of the Senate and House (one from each party) to become Congressional "designated survivors" to maintain the existence of Congress in a mass-casualty event.[1]

Selection

In a 2016 interview, Jon Favreau, a speechwriter for President Barack Obama, said that the procedure for picking a designated survivor for a State of the Union address was "entirely random", but later clarified that the content of the speech played a role in who was permitted to be absent. Favreau said that for a State of the Union speech in which Obama's education policy was a major focus, for example, the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, was not chosen as the designated survivor, because it was thought that he should attend and represent his department.[2]

List of designated survivors

data-sort-type="usLongDate" DateOccasionDesigneePositionNotes
January 25, 1984State of the UnionSamuel PierceSecretary of Housing and Urban Development[3] [4] [5]
January 21, 1985Presidential InaugurationMargaret HecklerSecretary of Health and Human Services[6]
February 6, 1985State of the UnionMalcolm BaldrigeSecretary of Commerce[7]
February 4, 1986State of the UnionJohn BlockSecretary of Agriculture[8]
January 27, 1987State of the UnionRichard LyngSecretary of Agriculture[9]
January 25, 1988State of the UnionDonald HodelSecretary of the Interior[10]
February 9, 1989Presidential Address to Joint Session of CongressLauro CavazosSecretary of Education[11]
January 31, 1990State of the UnionEdward J. DerwinskiSecretary of Veterans Affairs[12]
January 29, 1991State of the UnionManuel LujanSecretary of the Interior[13]
January 28, 1992State of the UnionEd MadiganSecretary of Agriculture
February 17, 1993Presidential Address to Joint Session of CongressBruce BabbittSecretary of the Interior
January 25, 1994State of the UnionMike EspySecretary of Agriculture
January 24, 1995State of the UnionFederico PeñaSecretary of Transportation
January 23, 1996State of the UnionDonna ShalalaSecretary of Health and Human Services[14]
February 4, 1997State of the UnionDan GlickmanSecretary of Agriculture[15]
January 27, 1998State of the UnionWilliam DaleySecretary of Commerce
January 19, 1999State of the UnionAndrew CuomoSecretary of Housing and Urban Development[16]
January 27, 2000State of the UnionBill RichardsonSecretary of Energy[17]
February 27, 2001Presidential Address to Joint Session of CongressAnthony PrincipiSecretary of Veterans Affairs
September 11–14, 2001Following the September 11 attacksDonald EvansSecretary of Commerce
September 20, 2001Presidential Address to Joint Session of Congress
(following the September 11 attacks)		Dick CheneyVice President[18]
Tommy ThompsonSecretary of Health and Human Services
January 29, 2002State of the UnionGale NortonSecretary of the Interior[19]
January 28, 2003State of the UnionJohn AshcroftAttorney General[20]
Norman MinetaSecretary of Transportation
January 20, 2004State of the UnionDonald EvansSecretary of Commerce[21]
January 20, 2005Presidential InaugurationGale NortonSecretary of the Interior[22] [23]
February 2, 2005State of the UnionTed StevensPresident pro tempore of the Senate[24]
Donald EvansSecretary of Commerce
January 31, 2006State of the UnionTed StevensPresident pro tempore of the Senate[25]
Jim NicholsonSecretary of Veterans Affairs
January 23, 2007State of the UnionAlberto GonzalesAttorney General[26]
January 28, 2008State of the UnionDirk KempthorneSecretary of the Interior[27]
January 20, 2009Presidential InaugurationRobert GatesSecretary of Defense[28] [29]
February 24, 2009Presidential Address to Joint Session of CongressEric HolderAttorney General[30]
September 9, 2009Presidential Address to Joint Session of Congress
(Health Care Speech to Congress)		Steven ChuSecretary of Energy[31]
January 27, 2010State of the UnionHillary ClintonSecretary of State[32]
Shaun DonovanSecretary of Housing and Urban Development
January 25, 2011State of the UnionKen SalazarSecretary of the Interior[33]
January 24, 2012State of the UnionTom VilsackSecretary of Agriculture[34]
January 21, 2013Presidential InaugurationEric ShinsekiSecretary of Veterans Affairs[35]
February 12, 2013State of the UnionSteven ChuSecretary of Energy[36]
January 28, 2014State of the UnionErnest MonizSecretary of Energy[37] [38]
January 20, 2015State of the UnionAnthony FoxxSecretary of Transportation[39] [40]
January 12, 2016State of the UnionOrrin HatchPresident pro tempore of the Senate[41]
Jeh JohnsonSecretary of Homeland Security[42]
January 20, 2017Presidential InaugurationOrrin HatchPresident pro tempore of the Senate[43]
Jeh JohnsonSecretary of Homeland Security[44]
February 28, 2017Presidential Address to Joint Session of CongressDavid ShulkinSecretary of Veterans Affairs[45] [46]
January 30, 2018State of the UnionSonny PerdueSecretary of Agriculture[47]
February 5, 2019State of the UnionRick PerrySecretary of Energy[48]
February 4, 2020State of the UnionDavid BernhardtSecretary of the Interior[49] [50]
January 20, 2021Presidential InaugurationUndisclosed
April 28, 2021Presidential Address to Joint Session of CongressNone[51]
March 1, 2022State of the UnionGina RaimondoSecretary of Commerce[52]
February 7, 2023State of the UnionMarty WalshSecretary of Labor[53]
March 7, 2024State of the UnionMiguel CardonaSecretary of Education[54]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Siegel . Benjamin . January 13, 2016 . Meet Congress' State of the Union Designated Survivors . ABC News.
  2. Web site: Millstein . Seth . February 6, 2019 . How Is The Designated Survivor Chosen? Rick Perry Won't Be At The 2019 SOTU . . CBS News reports that the president and their staff are responsible for selecting the designated survivor, and Jon Favreau, Barack Obama's former lead speechwriter, spoke to The Ringer about the designated survivor selection process in 2016. Favreau initially said that the process is "entirely random," but then backtracked a bit and said that sometimes, the designated survivor depends on what the president intends to say in their speech..
  3. Web site: Cabinet Members Who Did Not Attend the State of the Union Address . www.presidency.ucsb.edu.
  4. Web site: Cabinet members who did not attend the State of the Union Address (since 1984) . United States Senate Historical Office.
  5. 1984: UPI, "Washington Dateline." January 25, 1984
  6. Web site: Gainesville Sun - Google News Archive Search . news.google.com .
  7. 1985: UPI, "Washington News." February 6, 1985
  8. 1986: UPI, "Washington News." February 4, 1986
  9. 1987: UPI, "Washington News." January 28, 1987
  10. Web site: Hershey . Robert D. Jr. . January 27, 1988 . State of Union: Bewitched by Pageant . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141207232014/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/01/27/us/washington-talk-presidential-message-state-of-union-bewitched-by-pageant.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm . December 7, 2014 . February 13, 2013 . The New York Times.
  11. News: Cillizza . Chris . The story of a real-life 'Designated Survivor' . en-US . . January 20, 2021 . 0190-8286.
  12. 1990: Washington Post, Page C3. January 31, 1991
  13. 1991: Washington Post, Page C3. January 31, 1991
  14. 1996: USA Today, Page A12. February 5, 1997
  15. 1997: Washington Post, "Agriculture's Glickman Draws Doomsday Duty for Address." Page A13. February 4, 1997
  16. News: Goodnough . Abby . Waldman . Amy . Barron . James . January 21, 1999 . Not Being Invited Was the Honor . en-US . . live . April 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150527103950/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/01/21/nyregion/public-lives.html . May 27, 2015 . 0362-4331.
  17. 2000: The Washington Post, "The Reliable Source." Page C3. January 28, 2000
  18. 2001: The New York Times, "Cabinet's 'Designated Absentee' Stays Away." Page A23. January 30, 2002
  19. News: January 30, 2002 . THE STATE OF THE UNION; Cabinet's 'Designated Absentee' Stays Away . en-US . . April 19, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  20. News: January 29, 2003 . STATE OF THE UNION; Ashcroft in Secret Spot During Bush Address . en-US . The New York Times. April 19, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  21. 2004: AP, "Four to Miss Speech Due to Security." January 20, 2004
  22. Web site: January 19, 2017 . Designated survivor prepares for Inauguration Day . February 5, 2020 . KMGH . en.
  23. Web site: Sacks . Mike . January 19, 2017 . Designated survivor prepares for Inauguration Day . February 5, 2020 . WGBA . en.
  24. News: February 2, 2005 . Five Officials Skip State of the Union Address . en-US . . April 19, 2023 . 0362-4331.
  25. 2006: The Philadelphia Inquirer, "A Message of Energy, Strength." February 1, 2006.
  26. 2007: The Washington Post, "The Reliable Source." Page C3. January 25, 2007.
  27. Web site: Interior secretary skips speech as safeguard . April 19, 2023 . The Columbus Dispatch . en-US.
  28. Web site: January 20, 2009 . US Defence Secretary Gates to sit out Obama inauguration . April 19, 2023 . The Sydney Morning Herald . en.
  29. Web site: Montopoli . Brian . January 19, 2009 . Gates To Be Designated Successor On Inauguration Day . CBS News.
  30. Web site: O'Keefe . Ed . February 24, 2009 . Holder Staying Away From Obama's Speech . https://web.archive.org/web/20120902091637/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2009/02/cabinet.html . September 2, 2012 . December 16, 2022 . The Washington Post.
  31. Web site: September 10, 2009 . Energy secretary skips Obama health care address . April 19, 2023 . San Diego Union-Tribune . en-US.
  32. 2006: CNN, "Secretary Clinton misses State of the Union speech." January 27, 2010.
  33. Web site: O'Keefe . Ed . January 25, 2011 . State of the Union: Ken Salazar to serve as 'designated survivor' . https://web.archive.org/web/20121010005156/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2011/01/state_of_the_union_ken_salazar.html . October 10, 2012 . January 26, 2011 . The Washington Post.
  34. News: State of the Union: Tom Vilsack to serve as Cabinet's 'designated survivor . January 24, 2012 . . . January 24, 2012.
  35. Web site: Shinseki absent from inaugural ceremonies. January 21, 2013 . . December 16, 2022.
  36. Web site: Weiner . Rachel . February 12, 2013 . Steven Chu is the State of the Union 'designated survivor' . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170821125247/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2013/02/12/steven-chu-is-designated-survivor-for-state-of-the-union/ . August 21, 2017 . The Washington Post.
  37. Web site: Energy Secretary to be Designated Survivor during State of the Union . January 28, 2014 . Fox News.
  38. Web site: Miller . Zeke J . This Man Will Be Your President If The Worst Happens Happens . https://web.archive.org/web/20140130223658/http://swampland.time.com/2014/01/28/state-of-the-union-designated-survivor-ernest-moniz/ . dead . January 30, 2014 . Time. January 28, 2014 . January 29, 2014.
  39. Web site: Jackson . David . January 20, 2015 . Obama's 'designated survivor:' Anthony Foxx . https://web.archive.org/web/20150121195729/https://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2015/01/20/obama-designated-survivor-state-of-the-union-ernest-moniz-sally-jewell/22051655/ . January 21, 2015 . USA Today.
  40. Web site: Jackson . David . January 20, 2015 . If the Worst Happens at the State of the Union, Anthony Foxx Will Lead the Country . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150121035156/http://www.nationaljournal.com/white-house/if-the-worst-happens-at-the-state-of-the-union-anthony-foxx-will-lead-the-country-20150120 . January 21, 2015 . January 20, 2015 . NationalJournal.
  41. Web site: Shalby . Colleen . If #SOTU disaster strikes, Jeh Johnson ... or a Republican would become president . January 12, 2016 . January 12, 2016 . Los Angeles Times.
  42. Web site: Saenz . Arlette . State of the Union: Jeh Johnson Named Designated Survivor . January 12, 2016 . ABC News.
  43. Web site: Sen. Orrin Hatch acting as a designated survivor during inauguration . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170905141757/http://www.sltrib.com/home/4843730-155/sen-orrin-hatch-is-the-real . September 5, 2017 . January 20, 2017 . The Salt Lake Tribune . en.
  44. Web site: Weaver . Dustin . Jeh Johnson is designated survivor for inauguration . . January 20, 2017 . en . January 20, 2017.
  45. News: DeBonis . Mike . Johnson . Jenna . January 24, 2017 . Trump to address a joint session of Congress on Feb. 28 . . live . limited . April 3, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170124163743/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/01/24/trump-invited-to-address-a-joint-session-of-congress-on-feb-28/ . January 24, 2017.
  46. Web site: Stracqualursi . Veronica . March 1, 2017 . VA Secretary David Shulkin chosen as designated survivor . ABC News.
  47. Web site: Westwood . Sarah . Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue State of the Union 'designated survivor' . https://web.archive.org/web/20180201100242/http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/agriculture-secretary-sonny-perdue-is-designated-survivor-for-this-years-state-of-the-union-address/article/2647568 . February 1, 2018 . January 30, 2018 . Washington Examiner . en.
  48. Web site: Energy Secretary Rick Perry is the designated survivor . Klein . Betsy . Gray . Noah . February 5, 2019 . February 5, 2019 . CNN.
  49. Web site: The State of the Union's designated survivor: Interior Secretary David Bernhardt . Choi . Matthew . February 4, 2020 . February 4, 2020 . Politico.
  50. Web site: Knoller . Mark . February 4, 2020 . What to know about the "designated survivor" and State of the Union . February 5, 2020 . . en-US.
  51. Web site: Leonard. Ben. No designated survivor for Biden's first joint address to Congress. April 28, 2021. Politico. en.
  52. Web site: Lee . Min Jung . MJ Lee . February 24, 2022 . White House chief of staff tells House Democrats he's hoping State of the Union address will boost Biden's poll numbers CNN Politics . February 24, 2022 . CNN. en.
  53. Web site: Stiles . Matt . Vazquez . Maegan . February 7, 2023 . Labor Secretary Walsh is the 'designated survivor' at the State of the Union address . CNN.
  54. Web site: Education Secretary Miguel Cardona is the designated survivor for the State of the Union | CNN Politics .

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