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United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
U.S. Cabinet position
U.S. Cabinet position
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| post | United States Secretary |
| body | Veterans Affairs |
| flag | Flag of the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs.svg |
| flagborder | yes |
| flagsize | 130 |
| flagcaption | Flag of the secretary |
| insignia | Seal of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.svg |
| insigniasize | 120 |
| insigniacaption | Seal of the Department of Veterans Affairs |
| image | Official portrait of Douglas Collins, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.jpeg |
| incumbent | Doug Collins |
| incumbentsince | February 5, 2025 |
| department | United States Department of Veterans Affairs |
| style | Mr. Secretary (informal) |
| The Honorable (formal) | |
| member_of | United States Cabinet |
| reports_to | President of the United States |
| seat | Washington, D.C. |
| appointer | The president |
| appointer_qualified | with Senate advice and consent |
| termlength | No fixed term |
| constituting_instrument | |
| formation | March 15, 1989 |
| first | Ed Derwinski |
| succession | Seventeenth |
| deputy | Deputy Secretary |
| salary | Executive Schedule, Level I |
| website |
The Honorable (formal) The United States secretary of veterans affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans' benefits, health care, and national veterans' memorials and cemeteries. The secretary is a member of the Cabinet and second to last at seventeenth in the line of succession to the presidency (the position was last until the addition of the United States Department of Homeland Security in 2006). Until the appointment of David Shulkin in 2017, all appointees and acting appointees to the post were United States military veterans, but that is not a requirement to fill the position.
When the post of secretary is vacant, the deputy secretary or any other person designated by the president serves as acting secretary until the president nominates and the United States Senate confirms a new secretary.
List of secretaries of veterans affairs
; Parties (2) (3) (7)
; Status
| No. | Secretary | Term of office | President(s) | Portrait | Name | State of residence | Took office | Left office | Term length | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | 7 | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | 9 | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | Republican Party (United States)}};" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [[File:Ed derwinski.jpg | 75px]] | Illinois | March 15, 1989 | September 26, 1992 | Republican Party (United States)}};" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1989–1993) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Anthony Principi.jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | California | September 26, 1992 | January 20, 1993 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[Image:Jesse brown va.jpg | 75px]] | Illinois | January 22, 1993 | July 13, 1997 | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (1993–2001) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Gober sm.jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | Arkansas | July 13, 1997 | January 2, 1998 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:TogoDWest.jpg | 75px]] | District of Columbia | January 2, 1998 | May 4, 1998 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| May 4, 1998 | July 25, 2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Gober sm.jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | Arkansas | July 25, 2000 | January 20, 2001 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Anthony Principi.jpg | 75px]] | California | January 23, 2001 | January 26, 2005 | Republican Party (United States)}};" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2001–2009) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:JimNicholson.jpg | 75px]] | Colorado | January 26, 2005 | October 1, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Gordon H. Mansfield.jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | Florida | October 1, 2007 | December 20, 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:PeakeJames.jpg | 75px]] | District of Columbia | December 20, 2007 | January 20, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Eric Shinseki official Veterans Affairs portrait.jpg | 75px]] | Hawaii | January 20, 2009 | May 30, 2014 | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2009–2017) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Sloan Gibson.jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | Alabama | May 30, 2014 | July 30, 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Robert A. McDonald Official Portrait.jpg | 75px]] | Ohio | July 30, 2014 | January 20, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Robert Snyder.jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | West Virginia | January 20, 2017 | February 14, 2017 | Republican Party (United States)}};" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2017–2021) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:David Shulkin official photo (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | Pennsylvania | February 14, 2017 | March 28, 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Robert L. Wilkie acting SECVA official photo (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | North Carolina | March 28, 2018 | May 29, 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Peter O'Rourke official photo (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | Virginia | May 29, 2018 | July 30, 2018 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Robert Wilkie official portrait (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | North Carolina | July 30, 2018 | January 20, 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Acting US Secretary of VA Dat P Tran (cropped).jpg | 75px]] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | Ohio | January 20, 2021 | February 9, 2021 | Democratic Party (United States)}};" | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2021–2025) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Secretary McDonough, official photo (cropped).jpg | frameless | 91x91px]] | Minnesota | February 9, 2021 | January 20, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:ToddHunterVA.webp | framelss | 91x91px]] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Acting | January 20, 2025 | February 5, 2025 | Republican Party (United States)}};" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2025–present) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| [[File:Official portrait of Douglas Collins, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs.jpeg | framelss | 75px]] | Georgia | February 5, 2025 | Incumbent |
Anthony Principi served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs September 26, 1992 – January 20, 1993.
Hershel W. Gober served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs July 13, 1997 – January 2, 1998 and July 25, 2000 – January 20, 2001.
West served as Acting Secretary from January 2, 1998 to May 4, 1998.
Gordon H. Mansfield served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs October 1 – December 20, 2007.
References
References
- "3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act".
- "Order of presidential succession {{!}} USAGov".
- [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ177.109 Public Law 109-177] §.503
- {{usc2. 38. 304. Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Accessed January 13, 2008.
- (July 25, 2000). "Gober Takes Over Top Spot at VA". Department of Veterans Affairs.
- (December 2, 1997). "President Clinton Names Togo D. West Jr. As Acting Secretary Of The Department Of Veterans' Affairs". White House.
- Staff. (May 1999). "The Honorable Togo D. West Jr.". [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs]].
- UPI. [http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/20/peake_sworn_in_as_va_secretary/3728/ Peake sworn in as VA secretary] {{webarchive. link. (February 4, 2008, December 20, 2007. Accessed December 21, 2007.)
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