Explain why the 25th amendment was needed and ultimately proved to be important.

Answer & Explanation:

Congress had long been discussing the issue of who would succeed a president who died or could not carry out the duties of the office. The Constitution did not answer the question. One senator had pushed for an amendment earlier in 1963. Kennedy’s death brought new importance to the issue. After Johnson was elected in his own right in 1964, Congress put together an amendment. By law, three-fourths of the states must approve an amendment. In 1967, the amendment became part of the Constitution. Presidents have sometimes delegated presidential power to the vice president for a short time. This happened, for example, when presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush had surgery. As soon as the presidents recovered, they resumed their duties. When candidates for president choose a running mate, they consider whether he or she can carry out the duties of vice president. However, as history shows, the future vice president must also be able and willing to take on the role of president.