<P> When the President attends an event with the Vice-President, Speaker of the House, President pro tempore of the Senate, and the Cabinet, one member of the Cabinet does not attend, being the "designated successor". This ensures there is always someone remaining to exercise the powers of the presidency, even if all the other officers are killed at the event . During the inauguration of President Barack Obama on January 20, 2009, the Bush and Obama transition teams agreed to name Secretary of Defense Robert Gates as the "designated successor" and he was taken to a secure location instead of attending the ceremony . </P> <P> The Act has been modified several times with the addition of new cabinet positions, but the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2002 caused controversy that delayed its secretary being placed in the succession order . </P> <P> Many in the Congress felt the Secretary of Homeland Security should have been placed higher in the order--the rationale being that, as the officer responsible for disaster relief and security, the Secretary would be more capable of acting as President than, say, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development . It was proposed that he be granted the position held by the Secretary of the Navy prior to the formation of the Department of Defense . In the 109th Congress, legislation was introduced to place the Secretary of Homeland Security into the line of succession after the Attorney General, but the bill expired at the end of the 109th Congress and was not reintroduced . </P> <P> The matter remained unresolved until March 9, 2006, when the Act was amended to add the Secretary of Homeland Security after the Secretary of Veterans Affairs . </P>

Who determines if the president is unable to continue