ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13612Executive OrderObama · D

Executive Order 13612

Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Agriculture

This executive order establishes a detailed line of succession for who would act as Secretary of Agriculture if both the Secretary and Deputy Secretary are unable to serve. It lists 15 positions in order of succession, from Under Secretaries down to specific regional administrators, and revokes the previous succession order from 2010.

Federal Register Open PDF 77 FR 31153

Impact dates

  1. EO takes effect; EO 13542 revoked

Key directives

  • Establish 15-person order of succession for Secretary of Agriculture
  • Exclude acting officials from succession by virtue of acting service
  • Require eligibility under Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998
  • Preserve presidential discretion to depart from this order
  • Revoke EO 13542 of May 13, 2010

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Revocation of EO 13542 (May 13, 2010)
  • New succession order takes effect

Near term (90d)

—

Long term

  • Remains in effect until superseded by future executive action

Risks & tensions

  • Deep succession list (to #15) suggests contingency planning for catastrophic scenarios
  • Specific named states/regions in #11-12 may create geographic equity concerns; unclear why these particular states/offices were selected
  • Alphabetical tiebreaker for same-day service in #11-12 is unusual but objective
  • Presidential discretion clause (Sec. 2(c)) preserves flexibility but introduces uncertainty about when this order would actually be followed
Executive Order 13612: Providing an Order of Succession Within the Department of Agriculture · Executive Orders