On January 3rd, Patty Murray, not Dianne Feinstein, will ascend to become the first female President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
By longstanding custom, the position automatically goes to the most senior member of the majority party. Leahy is retiring, which leaves Feinstein the most senior member. But presumably because of her cognitive decline, she did the right thing and declined the position. That will now go to Patty Murray of Washington, who is the second senior Democrat. Most likely Murray will also step down as Chairman of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and become Chairman of the Appropriations Committee.
However, this brings up the recurring issue of the President Pro Tempore being in the line of succession to the Presidency. Here are the recent incumbents, since January 3rd, 1981.
Strom Thurmond
John C. Stennis
Robert C. Byrd
Ted Stevens
Daniel K. Inouye
Patrick J. Leahy
Orrin G. Hatch
Chuck Grassley
Patty Murray will step into this role at age 72, one of the more youthful persons to take on this office.
Strom Thurmond left the post of President Pro Tempore for the final time at age 98. Most of the others were in their 80s and 90s during at least some of their tenure and most were decrepit at some point during their service.
This post simply needs to be taken out of the line of succession to the Presidency. The succession needs to bump from the Speaker of the House to the members of the Cabinet.
Murray will almost certainly be replaced by Chuck Grassley in 2025. Grassley will be 91 when he assumes the office.
Murray is the exception. The general rule is that the holders of this office are unfit to serve as President due to excessive age or health concerns.
This office needs to be removed from the Presidential succession.
