Vice President of the United States
Overview
The Vice President of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest office in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the President. The Vice President's constitutional role is to be the President of the Senate, and to assume the presidency if the President is unable to perform his duties. The Vice President is also a key advisor to the President and is involved in policy decisions.
Constitutional Role
The Vice President's role, as dictated by the Constitution, is primarily legislative, as the President of the Senate. In this capacity, the Vice President has the authority to cast a vote in the Senate, but only to break a tie. This power has been used to pass significant legislation and to confirm controversial nominees.
Succession and Presidential Disability
The Vice President is first in the line of succession to the presidency. This means that if the President dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the Vice President becomes President. The Vice President may also temporarily assume the powers and duties of the presidency if the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.
Election and Term
The Vice President is elected alongside the President and serves the same four-year term. The Twelfth Amendment provides the procedure for electing the Vice President. The Vice President does not have a term limit and can serve an unlimited number of terms, either consecutive or non-consecutive.
Duties and Responsibilities
The Vice President has a range of duties and responsibilities, both constitutionally mandated and evolved over time. These include legislative roles, executive roles, ceremonial roles, and political roles. The Vice President also serves as a key advisor to the President and is often involved in policy decisions.
Historical Evolution
The role and influence of the Vice President have evolved significantly since the office was created in 1789. Initially, the Vice President had few duties and was not considered part of the President's administration. However, over time, the role has become more significant and the Vice President is now considered an integral part of the President's team.
List of Vice Presidents
There have been 49 Vice Presidents of the United States since the office was established in 1789. The first Vice President was John Adams, who served under President George Washington. The current Vice President is Kamala Harris, who serves under President Joe Biden.