Executive Order 10839

Executive Order 10839 of September 30, 1959

Designating Certain Officers to Act as Secretary of State

By virtue of authority vested in me by section 179 of the Revised Statutes (5 U.S.C. 6), and as President of the United States, it is ordered as follows:

In case of the death, resignation, absence, or sickness of the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary of State, the following-designated officers of the Department of State shall, in the order of succession indicated, act as Secretary of State until a successor is appointed or until the absence or sickness of the incumbent shall cease:

1. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs or Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, as may be designated by the President pursuant to the act of July 30, 1959, 73 Stat. 266.
   
   
2. Deputy Under Secretaries of State, (a) in such order of succession as the Secretary of State (or the Under Secretary of State when acting as Secretary) may by order designate from time to time, or (b) if no such designation order is in effect at the time, in the order of the lengths of service as Deputy Under Secretaries.
   
   
3. Assistant Secretaries of State, (a) in such order of succession as the Secretary of State (or the Under Secretary of State when acting as Secretary) may by order designate from time to time, or (b) if no such designation order is in effect at the time, in the order of the lengths of service as Assistant Secretaries.
   
   

The President may at any time, in pursuance of law but without regard to the foregoing provisions of this order, direct that an officer specified by the President shall act as Secretary of State.

Executive Order No. 10791 of November 28, 1958, is hereby superseded.

Dwight D. Eisenhower⁠

The White House,

September 30, 1959.

Notes

Supersedes:

• Executive Order 10791, November 28, 1958

Revoked by:

• Executive Order 12343, January 27, 1982

See Related:

• Executive Order of April 30, 1954 (unnumbered);
• Executive Order of August 23, 1955 (unnumbered);
• Executive Order 13251, December 28, 2001;
• Executive Order 13261, March 19, 2002