Reagan signs over his powers before surgery; Bush is Acting President by mid-morning

On a Saturday morning in July 1985, doctors at George Washington University Hospital prepared to remove polyps from President Ronald Reagan's colon. Before going under anesthesia, Reagan signed a written declaration invoking Section 3 of the Twenty-fifth Amendment, transferring his powers to Vice President George H. W. Bush. Bush served as Acting President for about eight hours while Reagan recovered, then Reagan signed a second declaration reclaiming the office. It was the first time a president had used the amendment to declare his own temporary incapacity…