Make Of This What You Will

From the White House:

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 17, 2008

Memorandum for the Commissioner of Social Security
SUBJECT: Designation of Officers of the Social Security Administration to Act as the Commissioner of Social Security

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998, 5 U.S.C. 3345 et seq., it is hereby ordered that:

Section 1. Order of Succession. Subject to the provisions of section 2 of this memorandum, the following officials of the Social Security Administration, in the order listed, shall act as and perform the functions and duties of the office of the Commissioner of Social Security (Commissioner), during any period in which both the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner have died, resigned, or become otherwise unable to perform the functions and duties of the office of the Commissioner, until such time as the Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner are able to perform the duties of that office:

(a) Chief of Staff;

(b) Deputy Commissioner for Operations;

(c) Deputy Commissioner for Budget, Finance and Management;

(d) Deputy Commissioner for Systems;

(e) Deputy Commissioner for Quality Performance;

(f) Regional Commissioner, Atlanta; and

(g) Regional Commissioner, Dallas.

Sec. 2. Exceptions. (a) No individual who is serving in an office listed in section 1 in an acting capacity, by virtue of so serving, shall act as Commissioner pursuant to this memorandum.

(b) No individual listed in section 1 shall act as Commissioner unless that individual is otherwise eligible to so serve under the Federal Vacancies Reform Act of 1998.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this memorandum, the President retains the discretion, to the extent permitted by law, to depart from this memorandum in designating an acting Commissioner.

Sec. 3. This memorandum supersedes the President's Memorandum of April 17, 2006 (Designation of Officers of the Social Security Administration).

Sec. 4. This memorandum is intended to improve the internal management of the executive branch and is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, by any party against the United States, its agencies, instrumentalities, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

Sec. 5. You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

GEORGE W. BUSH

Of course, the next President can modify this any time he wants.