Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona has been appointed as the designated survivor for this year’s State of the Union address, a crucial role in the event of a mass casualty event affecting top federal officials gathered in the U.S. Capitol to listen to President Biden’s speech.
The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 established a line of succession in case of the president’s death or incapacitation, reflecting Cold War concerns about government continuity in the face of nuclear war.
The State of the Union is a highly protected event, classified as a National Security Special Event with the highest security status. The Capitol has been surrounded by a security fence, and law enforcement presence has been significant in the lead-up to the address.
Speculation about the designated survivor scenario has captured public imagination and even inspired a television series.
According to constitutional protocol, Vice President Harris would be first in line to succeed President Biden, followed by House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray. Subsequent successors would come from the president’s Cabinet in the order of their office’s creation.
In the previous year, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo was named the designated survivor, following then-Labor Secretary Marty Walsh.
Cardona, a former teacher, principal, and Connecticut’s commissioner of education, has a long history in the field of education. Authorities have not disclosed where he will be watching the State of the Union address from.
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