An Act to promote the orderly transfer of the Executive power in connection with the expiration of the term of office of a President and the inauguration of a new President
PL 88-277 (H.R.4638), enacted 03/07/1964

78 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 88-277-MAR. 7, 1964 
153 
70A Stat. 564. 
Alternates. 
Appointment. 
"(h) Eti'ec'tive lH»^iniiiiiji; with the nominations foi- appointinejit to ^^^ 
(he Academy in tlie calejidar yeai- 19H4, tlie Secretary of tlie Air Force 
shall furnish to any Member of Conjj:ress, upon the written request of 
such .Xfember, the name of tlie Congressman or otlier nominating*: 
authority responsible for tlie iiomination of any named or identitied 
]M.n'son for appointment to the Academy." 
(2) The t<ixt of section 9H4H is amended to read as follows: 
"If it is deternjined that, npon the admission of a new 
class to the Academy, the number of cadets at the Academy 
will be below the authorized number, the Secretary of the 
Air Force niAj fill the vacancies by jiominating additional 
cadets from qualified candidates designated as aUernates and 
from other qualified candidates who competed for ncmii-
nation and are recommended and fomid ([ualified by the 
faculty. 
At least three-fourths of those nominated muler 
this section shall be sele^'ted from qualified alternates nomi-
nated by the persons named in clauses (•2)-(H) of section 
9342(a) of this title, and the remainder from qualified candi-
dates holding competitive nominatiotis.under any other pro-
vision of law. An appointment under this section is an 
additional appointment and is not in place of an a])pointment 
otherwise authorized by law." 
SEC. 5. (a) Paragraph (2) of section 4348, paragraph (2) of section 
f)959, and paragraph (2) of section 9348 of title 10 of the United 
States Code are each amended by striking out "three" and inserting 
in lieu thereof "five". 
(b) The fourth sentence of section 182 of title 14 of the I 'nii^'il States 
Code is amended by striking out "four" and inserting in lieu theret»f 
"five". 
(c) The amendmeutte made by this section shall apply only with 
respect to cadets and midshii)men appointed to the service academies 
and the Coast Guard Academy after the date of enactment of this Act, 
and shall not affect the obligated period of service of any cadet or 
midshipman appointed to one of the service academies or the Coast 
Guard Academy on or before the date of enactment of this Act. 
Approved March 3, 1964. 
Information to 
63 Stat. 508. 
Applicability. 
Public Law 88-277 
AN ACT 
March 7, 1964 
To promote the orderly transfer of the executive power in connection with the 
[H. R. 4638] 
expiration of the term of oflSee of a President and the inauguration of a new 
President. 
Be it enacted hy the ^Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That this Act may Tr^n^sitfon AC\ of 
be cited as the "Presidential Transition Act of 1963." 
i963. 
PURPOSE o r T H I S ACT 
SEC. 2. The Congress declares it to be the purpose of this Act to 
promote the orderly transfer of the executive power in connection 
with the expiration of the term of office of a President and the inaugu-
ration of a new President. 
The national interest requires that such 
transitions in the office of President be accomplished so as to assure 
continuity in the faithful execution of the laws and in the conduct 
of the affairs of the Federal Government, both domestic and foreign. 
Any disruption occasioned by the transfer of the executive power 
could produce results detrimental to the safety and well-being of the 
154 
PUBLIC LAW 88-277-MAR. 7, 1964 
[78 STAT. 
United States and its people. Accordingly, it is the intent of the 
Congress that appropriate actions be authorized and taken to avoid 
or minimize any disruption. 
In addition to the specific provisions 
contained in this Act directed toward that purpose, it is the intent 
of the Congress that all officers of the Government so conduct the 
affairs of the Government for which they exercise responsibility and 
authority as (1) to be mindful of problems occasioned by transitions 
in the office of President, (2) to take appropriate lawful steps to 
avoid or minimize disruptions that might be occasioned by the trans-
fer of the executive power, and (3) otherwise to promote orderly tran-
sitions in the office of President. 
Administrator of 
General Services. 
Authority. 
Office space. 
Office staffs, 
salaries. 
76 Stat. 843. 
5 use 1113. 
5 u s e 2251, 
751, 2091, 3001 
notes. 
Experts or con-
sultants. 
60 Stat. 810. 
Travel expen-
ses. 
SERVICES AND FACILITIES AUTHORIZED TO BE PROVIDED TO PRESIDENTS-ELECT 
AND VICE-PRESIDENTS-ELECT 
SEC. 3. (a) The Administrator of General Services, referred to 
hereafter in this Act as "the Administrator," is authorized to provide, 
upon request, to each President-elect and each Vice-President-elect, 
for use in connection with his preparations for the assumption of offi-
cial duties as President or Vice President necessary services and 
facilities, including— 
(1) Suitable office space appropriately equipped with furniture, 
furnishings, office machines and equipment, and office supplies, as 
determined by the Administrator, after consultation with the 
President-elect, the Vice-President-elect, or their designee pro-
vided for in subsection (e) of this section, at such place or places 
within the United States as the President-elect or Vice-President-
elect shall designate; 
(2) Payment of the compensation of members of office staffs 
designated by the President-elect or Vice-President-elect at rates 
determined by them not to exceed the rate provided by the Classi-
fication Act of 1949, as amended, for grade GS-18: Provided^ 
That any employee of any agency of any branch of the Govern-
ment may be detailed to such staffs on a reimbursable or nonreim-
bursable basis with the consent of the head of the agency; and 
wiiile so detailed such employee shall be responsible only to the 
President-elect or Vice-President-elect for the performance of his 
duties: Provided 
further^ That any employee so detailed shall 
continue to receive the compensation provided pursuant to law 
for his regular employment, and shall retain the rights and privi-
leges of such employment without interruption. 
Notwithstand-
ing any other law, persons receiving compensation as members of 
office staffs under this subsection, other than those detailed from 
agencies, shall not be held or considered to be employees of the 
Federal Government except for purposes of the Civil Service 
Retirement Act, the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, the 
Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Act of 1954, and the 
Federal Employees Health Benefits Act of 1959; 
(3) Payment of expenses for the procurement of services of 
experts or consultants or organizations thereof for the President-
elect or Vice-President-elect, as authorized for the head of any 
department by section 15 of the Administrative Expenses Act of 
1946, as amended (5 U.S.C. 55a), at rates not to exceed $100 per 
diem for individuals; 
(4) Payment of travel expenses and subsistence allowances, 
including rental of Government or hired motor vehicles, found 
necessary by the President-elect or Vice-President-elect, as 
78 STAT. ] 
PUBLIC LAW88-277-MAR. 7, 1964 
155 
authorized for persons employed intermittently or for persons 
serving without compensation by section 5 of the Administrative 
Expenses Act of 1946, as amended (5 U.S.C. 73b-2), as may be 
appropriate; 
(5) Communications services found necessary by the President-
elect or Vice-President-elect; 
(6) Payment of expenses for necessary printing and binding, 
notwithstanding the Act of January 12, 1895, and the Act of 
March 1, 1919, as amended (44 U.S.C. I l l ) ; 
(7) Reimbursement to the postal revenues in amounts equiv-
alent to the postage that would otherwise be payable on mail 
matter referred to in subsection (d) of this section. 
(b) The Administrator shall expend no funds for the provision of 
services and facilities under this Act in connection with any obliga-
tions incurred by the President-elect or Vice-President-elect before 
the day following the date of the general elections held to determine 
the electors of President and Vice President in accordance with title 
3, United States Code, sections 1 and 2, or after the inauguration of 
the President-elect as President and the inauguration of the Vice-
President-elect as Vice President. 
(c) The terms "President-elect" and "Vice-President-elect" as used 
in this Act shall mean such persons as are the apparent successful can-
didates for the office of President and Vice President, respectively, 
as ascertained by the Administrator following the general elections 
held to determine the electors of President and Vice President in 
accordance with title 3, United States Code, sections 1 and 2. 
(d) Each President-elect shall be entitled to conveyance within 
the United States and its territories and possessions of all mail matter, 
including airmail, sent by him in connection with his preparations for 
the assumption of official duties as President, and such mail matter 
shall be transmitted as penalty mail as provided in title 39, United 
States Code, section 4152. Each Vic«-President-elect shall be entitled 
to conveyance within the United States and its territories and ])os-
sessions of all mail matter, including airmail, sent by him under his 
written autograph signature in connection with his preparations for 
the assumption of official duties as Vice President. 
(e) Each President-elect and Vice-President-elect may designate to 
the Administrator an assistant authorized to make on his behalf sucli 
designations or findings of necessity as may be required in connection 
with the services and facilities to l)e provided under tliis Act. 
Not 
more than 10 per centum of the total expenditures under this Act for 
any President-elect or Vice-President-elect may be made upon the 
basis of a certificate by him or the assistant designated by him pui-
suant to this section that such expenditures ai'e dassitied and are 
essential to the national security, and that they accord with the ])rovi-
sions of subsections (a), (b), and (d) of this section. 
(f) In the case Avhere the President-elect is the incumbent President 
or in the case where the Vice-President-elect is the incmnbent Vice 
President, there shall be no expenditures of fluids for the j)r()\ ision of 
services and facilities to such incumbent under this Act, and any funds 
appropriated for sucli y)urposes shall be returned to the general 
funds of the Treasury. 
60 Stat. 808; 
75 Stat. 339, 340. 
Communications 
service s. 
Printing and 
binding. 
Postage. 
Restriction. 
62 Stat. 672. 
Definitions. 
Penalty mail. 
74 Stat. 660. 
Assistant, desig-
nation. 
Nonapplicability. 
156 
PUBLIC LAW 88-278-MAR. 10, 1964 
[78 STAT. 
SKRVICKS A M ) FAflLITIKiS Al THOKIZKI) TO HK I'KOVIDKI) I'O KOHMKH 
PRKSIDKNTS AND KORMKR VICK PRKSIDKXTS 
SEC. 4. The Administrator is authorized to provide, upon recpiest, 
to eacli former President and each former Vice President, for a period 
not to exceed six montlis from the date of tlie expiration of liis term 
of office as President or Vice President, for nse in connection Avitli 
winding up the affairs of his office, necessary services and facilities of 
the same general character as authorized by this Act to be provided to 
Presidents-elect and Vice-Pi-esidents-elect. Any person appointed or 
detailed to serve a former President or former Vice President under 
authority of this section shall l)e appointed or detailed in accordance 
with, and shall be subject to, all of the ])r()visi()ns of section H of this 
Act applicable to persons appointed or detailed under authority of 
that section. The provisions of the Act of August 25, lJ>aS (72 Stat. 
888; H TT.S.r. 102, note), other than subsections (a) and (e) shall not 
become effective with respect to a former President until six months 
after the expiration of his term of office as President. 
Al TIIORTZATION OK AIM'ROPRIATIONS 
Sjic. 5. There are hereby authorized to be appropiiated to the 
Administrator such funds as may be necessary for carrying out the 
purposes of this Act but not to exceed $900,000 for any one Presi-
dential transition, to remain available during the fiscal year in which 
the transition occurs and the next succeeding fiscal year. The Presi-
dent shall include in the budget transmitted to the Congress, for 
each fiscal year in which liis regidar term of office will expire, a ])i'o-
posed appropriation for carrying out the pui'poses of this Act. 
Approved March 7, 1964. 
March 10, 1964 
[H. R. 8171] 
Public Law 88-278 
AN ACT 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to acquire lands, including farm units 
and improvements thereon, in the third division, Riverton reclamation project, 
Wyoming, and to continue to deliver water for three years to lands of said 
division, and for other purposes. 
Riverton recla-
mation project. 
Land purchase. 
Purchase 
options. 
Reports to Con-
gress. 
Be it enacted 'by the Senate: and House of RepresentatAvei< of the 
United States of America in Congress assemhled^ (a) That the Sec-
retary of the Interior shall negotiate with the entrymen on and the 
owners of land within the third division of the Riverton Federal recla-
mation project, Wyoming, for the purchase of their lands, patented 
or unpatented, at a price equal to the appraised value thereof and of 
the improvements thereon. In the case of any lands which were rep-
resented as being suitable for sustained irrigation production in the 
land classification in force at the time entry was mjide or the lands 
were acquired by the present owner (or, if the present owmer acquired 
the same by descent or devise, by his predecessor in title), such value 
shall be determined without reference to any deterioration in their 
irrigability subsequent to the time of entry or acquisition arising from 
above-normal seepage and/or inadequate drainage. 
The Secretary 
is authorized to acquire options for the purchase of such lands in the 
name of the United States. He shall make a final report on the result 
of his negotiations and on options acquired to the President of the 
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives on or before