Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Commerce

This executive order establishes a formal line of succession for the Secretary of Commerce, specifying which officials assume the role if both the Secretary and Deputy Secretary are unavailable. It revokes three prior executive orders that previously governed Commerce Department succession.

Federal Register Open PDF 66 FR 66260

Key directives

Establish eight-position order of succession for Secretary of Commerce
Disqualify acting officials from assuming Secretary role under this order
Preserve presidential discretion to depart from this order under 5 U.S.C. Subchapter III
Revoke Executive Order 11880 (1975), Executive Order 12998 (1996), and section 26 of Executive Order 12608 (1987)

Timeline

Immediate

Order takes effect upon signing; succession line is active for any future vacancy event

Near term (90d)

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Long term

Remains in force until superseded by future executive action; governs all future Commerce Secretary vacancies

Risks & tensions

Acting officials exclusion (Sec. 3a) may create gap if multiple senior positions are simultaneously vacant
Presidential discretion clause (Sec. 3b) provides flexibility but introduces uncertainty about when succession list actually binds
No specified expiration or review mechanism; order persists indefinitely unless revoked