There is a curious norm that has prevailed in the United States since the administration of Lyndon B. Johnson and which prohibits all presidents from driving a vehicle for safety reasons. Now, this restriction is also extended to former presidents by a law passed in 1958 which grants the right to “lifetime protection provided by the Secret Service of the United States”, among other privileges such as a pension, health insurance and personnel costs.
This standard also extends to vice-presidents of the United States. For the president, it is valid for life, while for the person authorized to act on behalf of the president, it is valid until six months after the end of his term. The rule has one exception: managers can exceptionally request a temporary suspension to be able to drive.
Privileges for former presidents
According to the Former Presidents Act approved in 1958, all persons who have held the position of chief executive of the United States can obtain the following benefits: benefits for life:
- Each former President shall be entitled, for the remainder of his life, to receive from the United States a monetary allowance at an annual rate payable monthly by the Secretary of the Treasury, equal to the annual rate of base salary, then in effect, of the former President. head of an executive department.
- The Administrator of General Services, without regard to civil service and classification laws, will provide office staff to each former President. Persons employed under this paragraph shall be selected by the Former President and shall be responsible solely to him for the performance of their duties.
- The Administrator of General Services will provide each former President with adequate office space, properly furnished and equipped, as determined by the Administrator, at such location within the United States as the former President may specify.
- The widow of each former President shall be entitled to receive from the United States a monetary allowance at the rate of $20,000 per annum, payable monthly by the Secretary of the Treasury, if such widow waives the right to any other annuity or pension to which she may be entitled under any other Act of Congress.
- The Administrator of General Services is authorized to allocate up to $1,000,000 for each past president and up to $500,000 for the spouse of each past president each fiscal year for security and travel expenses.
