Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-110
§8017 Secretary of the Navy: Successors to Duties
Title 10 › Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps › PART I — ORGANIZATION › CHAPTER 803 — DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY › § 8017
Summary
If the Secretary of the Navy can’t serve, the highest available person on this list must do the Secretary’s job until the President names a replacement or the Secretary returns: Under Secretary; Assistant Secretaries (in the order set and approved); General Counsel; Chief of Naval Operations; Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Full Legal Text
Title 10, §8017
Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
If the Secretary of the Navy dies, resigns, is removed from office, is absent, or is disabled, the person who is highest on the following list, and who is not absent or disabled, shall perform the duties of the Secretary until the President, under section 3347 of title 5, directs another person to perform those duties or until the absence or disability ceases:
(1)The Under Secretary of the Navy.
(2)The Assistant Secretaries of the Navy, in the order prescribed by the Secretary of the Navy and approved by the Secretary of Defense.
(3)The General Counsel of the Department of the Navy.
(4)The Chief of Naval Operations.
(5)The Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Section 3347 of title 5, referred to in text, was repealed and a new section 3347 was enacted by Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title I, § 151(b), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–611, and, as so enacted, no longer contains provisions authorizing the President to direct temporary successors to duties. See section 3345 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 5036 of this title prior to enactment of Pub. L. 99–433. A prior section 8017 was renumbered section 9017 of this title.
Amendments
2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5017 of this title as this section. 1994—Pars. (3) to (5). Pub. L. 103–337 added par. (3) and redesignated former pars. (3) and (4) as (4) and (5), respectively.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of
Amendments
and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title. Order of SuccessionFor order of succession in event of death, permanent disability, or resignation of Secretary of the Navy, see Ex. Ord. No. 12879, Nov. 8, 1993, 58 F.R. 59929, listed in a table under section 3345 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
10 U.S.C. § 8017
Title 10, Armed Forces
Last Updated
Sep 23, 2026
Release point: 119-110