Codifying Strong Transitions
Setting high standards for transition planning in law and practice
Recognizing that well-executed presidential transitions are critical for effective governance, the Partnership has worked for years to increase attention and resources to help presidents transfer knowledge from one administration to the next. Prior to these efforts, the only support provided to presidents-elect before Inauguration Day was funding through the Presidential Transition Act of 1963.
The Partnership’s Center for Presidential Transition® works to identify optimal practices in transition planning and use them to inform bipartisan updates to strengthen this important law. The Partnership has worked with Congress over the years to help enact significant amendments to the transition law. These amendments provide additional support to major candidates before the presidential election; require the White House and federal agencies to convene regular planning meetings during election years; and have institutionalized the role of the General Services Administration in coordinating transition planning.
The Center is a repository of knowledge that informs the implementation of the transition law, and we continue to work to identify ways to strengthen the law and its framework.
Resources
Partnership for Public Service applauds bipartisan reform to the Presidential Transition Act included in the omnibus appropriations bill
Partnership for Public Service statement on President Obama signing the Edward “Ted” Kaufman and Michael Leavitt presidential transition improvements act of 2015
The 2020-21 Presidential Transition: Lessons Learned and Recommendations
What is the presidential transition process?
How does the GSA “ascertain” the outcome of an election?
An Inside Look at How the Partnership for Public Service Helps Build Better Presidential Transitions
Presidential Transition Act Summary
Photo credit: Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies