Nov. 16, 1961 - The death of Speaker Sam Rayburn places Senator Carl Hayden (right), Democrat of Arizona, behind Vice President Johnson in the line of succession to the Presidency. Had the House been in session, it would have elected a new Speaker who would hold second rank. Congress does not meet until Jan. 10, and Mr. Hayden holds the place until then. The election of a Speaker will be one of the first items of business for the House. Mr. Hayden, 84, temporarily moves up in succession because he is President Pro Tem of the Senate. A 1947 law changed the line of succession in event of the death of a President, ranking the Speaker and Senate President Pro Tem behind the Vice President. Prior to that, an 1886 law ranked the Cabinet next to the Vice President, starting with the Secretary of State.
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