United States Capitol Historical Society

Changing the Presidency: Understanding the 20th, 22nd, and 25th Amendments

 

Watch our latest installment in our Amendment Series with Dr. Brian Kelt, who will give us insight into three fundamental constitutional amendments that have defined the American Presidency as we know it today.

Presidential inaugurations on January 20th, a limit of two four-year terms, and a clear line of succession are all things we have come to view as integral aspects of the American Presidency. However, it is essential to remember that not all these elements were ingrained in our Constitution. It took the 20th, 22nd, and 25th Amendments ratification in 1933, 1951, and 1967 to set these constitutional parameters for the Presidency.

Dr. Kalt, an expert in constitutional law relating to the Presidency, explained what these less-than-100-year-old amendments mean for the Commander and Chief.


Before joining the Michigan State University College of Law in 2000, Brian Kalt was an associate at the Washington, D.C., office of Sidley Austin. He earned his juris doctor from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor on the Yale Law Journal. Following law school, he clerked for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit. Professor Kalt’s research focuses on structural constitutional law and juries, and he currently teaches Torts and Administrative Law at MSU Law. His expertise includes the constitutional law of the presidency, presidential pardons, impeachment, succession, and the 25th Amendment. He is frequently cited in the media, including outlets such as Reuters, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Associated Press, for his insights into constitutional issues.

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