Vice Presidency of the United States

Vice Presidency of the United States
Post	Vice President
Body	the United States
Insigniasize	120
Insigniacaption	Seal of the vice president
Alt	Official portrait of Kamala Harris
Incumbent	Kamala Harris
Incumbentsince	January 20, 2021
Department	United States Senate, Executive Office of the President
Style	Madam Vice President (informal), The Honorable (formal), Madam President (within the Senate)
Residence	Number One Observatory Circle
Appointer	Electoral College or succession via presidential confirmation
Termlength	Four years, no term limit
Formation	U.S. Constitution, March 4, 1789
First	John Adams
Succession	First
Salary	$284,600 annually

Vice Presidency of the United States is the second-highest constitutional office in the executive branch of the Federal government of the United States. The vice president is first in the United States presidential line of succession and serves as the president of the United States Senate. The modern office has evolved from a largely ceremonial role to a significant position of influence within the White House and as a key advisor to the President of the United States.

History and development

The office was established by Article Two of the United States Constitution during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Initially, the vice president was simply the runner-up in the presidential election, a system changed by the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution after the contentious election of 1800. For much of the 19th and early 20th centuries, figures like John C. Calhoun, Thomas R. Marshall, and Charles G. Dawes held the position with limited power, often described as insignificant. The role began to expand under Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose vice president, John Nance Garner, presided over significant New Deal legislation. The office's stature grew further during the Cold War, with Richard Nixon undertaking major diplomatic missions and Lyndon B. Johnson assuming the presidency after the Assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Constitutional roles and duties

The vice president's primary constitutional duty is to preside over the United States Senate, casting tie-breaking votes as seen historically on measures like the Affordable Care Act and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The vice president also formally presides over the counting of Electoral College votes in a joint session of Congress. Under the Twenty-fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the vice president plays a crucial role in presidential succession and disability determinations, a process invoked during events like the Assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan and the temporary transfer of power to Dick Cheney in 2002 and 2007. The vice president must meet the same constitutional qualifications as the president: being a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and a 14-year resident of the United States.

Selection and election

Vice presidential candidates are typically selected by the presidential nominee at each party's national convention, a practice solidified in the 20th century to balance the ticket geographically, ideologically, or demographically, as with John F. Kennedy choosing Lyndon B. Johnson. The Republican and Democratic tickets run on a single ballot for the Electoral College. The process is governed by the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which requires electors to cast distinct votes for president and vice president. In the event no vice-presidential candidate receives a majority, the United States Senate chooses between the top two contenders, a procedure last used in the 1836 United States presidential election.

Office and succession

The vice president works from offices in the West Wing of the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with an official residence at Number One Observatory Circle on the grounds of the United States Naval Observatory. The office is supported by the Office of the Vice President of the United States and staff including the chief of staff. As first in the United States presidential line of succession, established by the Presidential Succession Act of 1947, nine vice presidents have ascended to the presidency due to the death or resignation of the president, including Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Gerald Ford, and George H. W. Bush.

Modern roles and influence

Since the administration of Jimmy Carter, vice presidents have been given increasingly substantive roles, often heading major initiatives or serving as key diplomatic envoys. Walter Mondale established the model of a close presidential advisor with an office in the West Wing. Later vice presidents like Al Gore led projects such as the Reinventing Government initiative, while Dick Cheney was deeply involved in national security policy following the September 11 attacks. Joe Biden oversaw the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and Mike Pence chaired the White House Coronavirus Task Force. The incumbent, Kamala Harris, has been tasked with addressing issues like voting rights and migration from Central America.

List of vice presidents

There have been 49 vice presidents of the United States, originating from 34 of the 50 states. The first was John Adams, who later became the second president. Eight vice presidents have died in office, most recently James Sherman in 1912, and two have resigned: John C. Calhoun in 1832 and Spiro Agnew in 1973. Notable 20th-century holders of the office include Hubert Humphrey, Nelson Rockefeller, and Dan Quayle. The most recent former vice president to be elected president is Joe Biden, who served under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2017.

Category:Vice Presidency of the United States Category:United States government