Speaker of the United States House of Representatives by the President "pro tempore" of the Senate and by the heads of federal executive departments. To date, the implementation of the Presidential Succession Act has never been necessary and no Speaker has ever acted as President. Implementation of the law almost became necessary in 1973 after the resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew. At the time, many believed that President Richard Nixon would resign because of the Watergate scandal, allowing Speaker Carl Albert to succeed to the Presidency. However, before he resigned, Nixon appointed Gerald Ford as Vice President in accordance with the Twenty-fifth Amendment. Nevertheless, the United States
Oath of office of the Vice President of the United States Oath of office of the Vice President of the United States The oath of office of the Vice President of the United States is the oath or affirmation that the Vice President of the United States takes upon assuming the vice-presidency but before he or she begins the execution of the office. Just before the president-elect takes the oath of office on Inauguration Day, the vice president-elect will step forward on the inaugural platform and repeat the oath of office. Although the United States Constitution——specifically sets forth the oath required by incoming presidents, it does not do so for incoming