President Joe Biden is set to undergo a medical procedure requiring anesthesia on Friday, and the presidential powers will be temporarily transferred to Vice President Kamala Harris, the White House said in a statement.
As part of a routine physical check, Biden will undergo a colonoscopy, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
In line with the relevant process set by the US Constitution, “President Biden will transfer power to the vice president for a brief period of time when he is under anesthesia,” her statement said.
Then-President George W. Bush underwent the same procedure twice, in 2002 and in 2007, transferring power to Vice President Dick Cheney for about two hours on each occasion.
Biden’s colonoscopy will take place at the Walter Reed Medical Center, the US military hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. The facility boasts dedicated presidential and first lady suites, and even a designated workspace for the head of state, if needed during a medical visit.
Numerous presidents have undergone treatment at the center, including most recently President Donald Trump, who spent three days there with Covid in October 2020.
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