The presidency of Gerald Ford began on August 9, 1974, when Gerald Ford became President of the United States upon the resignation of Richard Nixon from office, and ended on January 20, 1977, a period of 895 days. Nixon formally resigned on August 9, making Ford the first President of the United States who had not been elected as either president or vice president. The Ford CabinetOfficeNameTermPresidentGerald Ford1974–1977Vice Presidentnone1974Nelson Rockefeller1974–1977Secretary of StateHenry Kissinger1974–1977Secretary of TreasuryWilliam E. Simon1974–1977Secretary of DefenseJames R. Schlesinger1974–1975Donald Rumsfeld1975–1977Attorney GeneralWilliam B. Saxbe1974–1975Edward H. Levi1975–1977Secretary of the InteriorRogers Morton1974–1975Stanley K. Hathaway1975Thomas S. Kleppe1975–1977Secretary of AgricultureEarl Butz1974–1976John Albert Knebel1976–1977Secretary of CommerceFrederick B. Dent1974–1975Rogers Morton1975–1976Elliot Richardson1976–1977Secretary of LaborPeter J. Brennan1974–1975John Thomas Dunlop1975–1976William Usery Jr.1976–1977Secretary of Health,Education, and WelfareCaspar Weinberger1974–1975F. Buoyed by the new class of 'Watergate Babies,' liberal Democrats implemented reforms designed to ease the passage of legislation.