Presidential Inauguration Day is Jan. 20 and Jan. 3 is the date for the new congress opening. If the president dies before swearing in, the Vice President elect becomes president. Which amendment covers this?

• A. Amendment 19
• B. Amendment 20
• C. Amendment 21
• D. Amendment 22

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is who takes over the presidency during the transition if the person elected to be president dies before taking office. The rule that covers this is found in the 20th Amendment. It sets the transition timeline and, crucially, it states that if the President-elect dies before taking the oath, the Vice President-elect becomes President. This creates a clear line of succession right at the moment when power would otherwise be uncertain, preventing a gap in leadership during the changeover.

Think of the 20th Amendment as the transition rulebook for the start of a new administration. By specifying that the Vice President-elect steps into the presidency if the President-elect dies before inauguration, it ensures continuity of government. The other amendments mentioned deal with different topics—women’s suffrage, term limits, and the repeal of Prohibition—so they don’t provide the rules for this presidential succession scenario.