OCR Text |
Show Q How U (he meeting date of Congress determined! A The 20th Amendment of the Constitution required that Confess meet each year on Jan. 3. "unless they shall by taw appoint a different day.'- That's what the first session of Congress did before the last adjournment scheduling the second session for Jan 6. since Jan. 3. 1954. fell on a Sunday Special sessions may be called by the President Presi-dent st any time Q Wbal provision, does the law make for succession to the Presidency le case both the President aud Vice President die. renlifn. or are impeached or incapacitated? A From tb86 until 1947, the cabinet ottlcers were In the line of succession succes-sion according U the seniority of the departments they head, led by the Secretary t)f State, provided they fulfilled Constitutional requirements re-quirements The Presidential Succession Act of l!M7 Inserted first the Speaker of the House and then the President Pro Tempore of the Senate ahead of th cabinet If a cabinet officer should rise to the White House, he would serve only until a Speaker or President Pro Tempore became available, and the President Pro Tempore would step aside upon qualification of a Speaker Although official-ty official-ty "Acting President." the Speaker or President Pro Tempore would complete the unexpired Presidential term Could a person other than an elected Representative serve as Speas-er Speas-er of the House? A Yes The House, sccordlng to ths Constitution, is empowered to choose Its Speaker and other officers, without restrictions In fact, the Speaker has always been a Member of the House J " Washington were attacked, could the President ,-onvrne t'onrresa elsewhere for a special session? A Yes The Constitution provides that the President "may, on extraordinary extra-ordinary occasions, convene both houses, or either of them" In special spe-cial session. Place Is not specified, and the rules have been interpreted in-terpreted to grant the President the right to move Congress from '. tVashJnftoo liSrtU laf tM.Mi WUfUrit |