224. Memorandum From the Secretary to the Cabinet and Staff Secretary to the President (Connor) to Heads of Departments and Agencies1
SUBJECT
- Resignations of Presidential Appointees
The President has requested that the following procedure be followed regarding resignation of Presidential appointees.
1. All Cabinet secretaries and their deputies, administrators and their deputies should promptly submit their resignations to the President, who would accept them effective January 20, 1977.
2. Sub-cabinet officers and other appointees who wish to resign effective at the same date or earlier should submit their resignations to the President no later than January 15, 1977.
3. Other Presidential appointees who would be willing to serve for an interim period past January 20 should submit their resignations by [Page 761] January 15, 1977, effective at the pleasure of the President. These would be turned over to the new President after his inaugural.
4. In order to make certain there is no interruption in responsibility after January 20, President Ford’s transition officer for each department and agency and the President-elect’s transition officer for that department and agency should reach agreement on the designation of a Ford-appointed subordinate officer who would have the power and responsibility of acting secretary until the appropriate officer of the new administration is confirmed and sworn in.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Transition Records of the Executive Secretariat, 1959–1977, Entry 5338, Box 1, Code T—1976–1977 S/S Borg to Eagleburger. No classification marking. Borg forwarded the memorandum to Eagleburger under a January 12 covering memorandum, which asked Eagleburger to consider Connor’s second and third points closely and questioned whether it was appropriate for resignation letters addressed to President Ford to be turned over to the new President.↩