Former Presidents Act

The Former Presidents Act (known also as FPA) (3 U.S.C. § 102) is a federal law passed by the United States Congress in 1958. The act provided several lifetime benefits to the living former Presidents of the United States.

History

Before 1958, former United States Presidents were not entitled to receive any retirement benefits or other pension assistance from the Federal Government. As early as 1912, legislation was introduced to Congress after Andrew Carnegie announced his plan to fund $25,000.00 yearly pensions for former Chief Executives. However, many members of Congress viewed it as inappropriate for a private individual to pay retirement benefits for elected public officials. After much wrangling, no legislation was ever passed.

In 1955, because of former President Harry S. Truman's limited financial resources in hiring an office staff, legislation once again surfaced to address former presidents' needs for post-employment benefits.

At the time of the bill's passage into the Former Presidents Act, there were two living former Presidents: Herbert Hoover and Truman. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first President fall under act while leaving office.

The act provides to a former president a pension, a staff, funds to construct and maintain a presidential library, and lifetime Secret Service protection.

Current development

Currently, after some amendments added to the act, former Presidents are entitled to:

Pension, office, funds

* Taxable pension equal to the basic pension of the head of the executive department (currently $191,300). The pension begins immediately after President's departure from office. The United States Secretary of Treasury is responsible for paying
* Transition funds
* Private office staff provided by the Administrator of General Services and funds. Persons employed under this subsection shall be selected by the former President and shall be responsible only to him for the performance of their duties. Each former President shall fix basic rates of compensation for persons employed for him under this paragraph which in the aggregate shall not exceed $96,000 per annum

Health

Each former President is entitled to medical treatment in the military hospitals. Their health care costs are provided by the Office of Management and Budget, although they can pay for their own health care.

Title

There has been much debate in the past as to the proper title for former presidents. When introducing or addressing, the proper term or title is "The Honorable" or simply "Mr.". When describing a Former President, one may use the term The Former President, but not President as this is reserved for the sitting President. This convention is often ignored in the US media who will address both Former Presidents Bush and Clinton as President Bush and President Clinton.

[http://www.cftech.com/BrainBank/OTHERREFERENCE/FORMSOFADDRESS/SpkWritFrmsAddr.html Forms of Address for U.S. Government Officials]

ecret Service protection

Initially former Presidents were entitled to receive lifetime Secret Service protection. However in 1996 Congress passed an amendment that every President who took office after January 1, 1997 will receive Secret Service security detail for maximum 10-year period since leaving office. Bill Clinton is the last President to receive lifetime protection (as well as other remaining former Presidents at time of passing an amendment: Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.

Incumbent George W. Bush and his successors will receive Secret Service protection for ten years. However, debates in Congress have been raised concerning this decision. Following the increase in terrorism and threats to the president in general since 1997, lifetime protection is being reconsidered.

In 1985, Richard Nixon became the first (and so far, only) former President to resign from the Secret Service Protection [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B00E6DC1338F93BA15754C0A963948260 Follow-Up On The News; Nixon Guards - New York Times ] ] .

Family

Former First Ladies (also after former President's death) and Former President's minor children (until 16) are also entitled to the Secret Service protection and state-provided medical care. However the former First Lady would lose these privileges if she divorces or remarries before 60 years old.

References

* [http://www.archives.gov/about/laws/former-presidents.html Current provisions and history]
* [http://www.archives.gov/about/laws/former-presidents.html Original]