Symposium

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment and the Establishment of Medical Impairment Panels: Are the Two Safely Compatible?

By Robert E. Gilbert
December 1, 2017

The Twenty-Fifth Amendment was added to the Constitution, after years of effort, in 1967, to resolve instances of debilitating illnesses of all kinds. The Amendment’s four sections deal with: (1) vice presidential succession to the presidency; (2) replacement of the Vice President when that office becomes vacant; (3) voluntary withdrawal of the President from office and his or her replacement by the Vice President who becomes Acting President; and (4) involuntary replacement of the President by the Vice President who becomes Acting President.