View source for Secretary of Veterans Affairs

{{Short description|U.S. Cabinet position}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox official post
| 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
| image = File:Secretary McDonough, official photo (cropped).jpg
| incumbent = [[Denis McDonough]]
| incumbentsince = February 9, 2021
| department = [[United States Department of Veterans Affairs]]
| style = Mr. Secretary (informal)<br>[[The Honourable#United States|The Honorable]] (formal)
| member_of = [[United States Cabinet]]
| reports_to = [[President of the United States]]
| seat = [[Washington, D.C.]]
| appointer = The [[President of the United States]]
| appointer_qualified = with [[United States Senate|Senate]] [[advice and consent]]
| termlength = No fixed term
| constituting_instrument = {{UnitedStatesCode|38|303}}
| formation = March 15, 1989
| first = [[Ed Derwinski]]
| succession = [[United States presidential line of succession|Seventeenth]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/3/19|title = 3 U.S. Code § 19 - Vacancy in offices of both President and Vice President; officers eligible to act}}</ref>
| deputy = [[United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs]]
| salary = [[Executive Schedule|Executive Schedule, level I]]
| website = {{url|https://www.va.gov|VA.gov}}
}}
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 [[United States Cabinet|Cabinet]] and second to last at seventeenth<ref>{{Cite web |title=Order of presidential succession {{!}} USAGov |url=https://www.usa.gov/presidential-succession |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.usa.gov |language=en}}</ref> in the [[United States presidential line of succession|line of succession]] to [[President of the United States|the presidency]] (the position was last until the addition of the [[United States Department of Homeland Security]] in 2006<ref>[http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ177.109 Public Law 109-177] §.503</ref>). 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 [[United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs|deputy secretary]]<ref name="usc">{{usc2|38|304|Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs}}. Accessed January 13, 2008.</ref> or any other person designated by the president serves as acting secretary<ref name="usc"/> until the president nominates and the [[United States Senate]] confirms a new secretary.

[[Denis McDonough]] is currently serving as the 11th secretary of veterans affairs since February 9, 2021 under President [[Joe Biden]].

==List of secretaries of veterans affairs==
; Parties
{{legend2|#EEEEEE|[[Independent (politician)|No party]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (2)
{{legend2|{{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}}|[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (3)
{{legend2|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}|[[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}} (6)
; Status
{{legend|#E6E6AA|[[Acting (law)|Acting]] Secretary of Veterans Affairs|border=black}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan=2| {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! colspan=3| Secretary
! colspan=3| Term of office
! colspan=2 rowspan=2| [[President of the United States|President(s)]]
|-
! Portrait
! Name
! State of residence
! Took office
! Left office
! Term length
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"|{{color|white|1}}
| [[File:Ed derwinski.jpg|75px]]
| [[Ed Derwinski]]
| [[Illinois]]
| March 15, 1989
| September 26, 1992
| {{ayd|March 15, 1989|September 26, 1992}}
| rowspan="2" style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan="2" |[[George H. W. Bush]]
|-style="background:#E6E6AA;"
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| {{color|white|–}}
| [[File:Anthony Principi.jpg|75px]]
| [[Anthony Principi]]{{ref label|1|1|1}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
| [[California]]
| September 26, 1992
| January 20, 1993
| {{ayd|September 26, 1992|January 20, 1993}}
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|2}}
| [[Image:Jesse brown va.jpg|75px]]
| [[Jesse Brown]]
| [[Illinois]]
| January 22, 1993
| July 13, 1997
| {{ayd|January 22, 1993|July 13, 1997}}
| rowspan="5" style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan="5" |[[Bill Clinton]]
|- style="background:#E6E6AA;"
! style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|–}}
| [[File:Gober sm.jpg|75px]]
| [[Hershel W. Gober]]{{ref label|2|2|2}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
| [[Arkansas]]
| July 13, 1997
| January 2, 1998
| {{ayd|July 13, 1997|January 2, 1998}}
|-
! rowspan="2" style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|3}}
| rowspan=2| [[File:TogoDWest.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2| [[Togo D. West Jr.]]
| rowspan=2| [[District of Columbia]]
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"| January 2, 1998{{ref label|3|3|3}}
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"| May 4, 1998
| style="background:#e6e6aa;"| {{ayd|January 2, 1998|May 4, 1998}}
|-
| May 4, 1998
| July 25, 2000
| {{ayd|May 4, 1998|July 25, 2000}}
|-style="background:#E6E6AA;"
! style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|–}}
| [[File:Gober sm.jpg|75px]]
| [[Hershel W. Gober]]{{ref label|2|2|2}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
| [[Arkansas]]
| July 25, 2000
| January 20, 2001
| {{ayd|July 25, 2000|January 20, 2001}}
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|4}}
| [[File:Anthony Principi.jpg|75px]]
| [[Anthony Principi]]
| [[California]]
| January 23, 2001
| January 26, 2005
| {{ayd|January 23, 2001|January 26, 2005}}
| rowspan="4" style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan="4" |[[George W. Bush]]
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|5}}
| [[File:JimNicholson.jpg|75px]]
| [[Jim Nicholson (Secretary of Veterans Affairs)|Jim Nicholson]]
| [[Colorado]]
| January 26, 2005
| October 1, 2007
| {{ayd|January 26, 2005|October 1, 2007}}
|-style="background:#E6E6AA;"
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| {{color|white|–}}
| [[File:Gordon H. Mansfield.jpg|75px]]
| [[Gordon H. Mansfield]]{{ref label|4|4|4}}<br>{{small|Acting}}
| [[Florida]]
| October 1, 2007
| December 20, 2007
| {{ayd|October 1, 2007|December 20, 2007}}
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|6}}
| [[File:PeakeJames.jpg|75px]]
| [[James Peake]]
| [[District of Columbia]]
| December 20, 2007
| January 20, 2009
| {{ayd|December 20, 2007|January 20, 2009}}
|-
! style="background: {{Party shading/None}};" |7
| [[File:Eric Shinseki official Veterans Affairs portrait.jpg|75px]]
| [[Eric Shinseki]]
| [[Hawaii]]
| January 20, 2009
| May 30, 2014
| {{ayd|January 20, 2009|May 30, 2014}}
| rowspan="3" style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan="3" |[[Barack Obama]]
|-style="background:#e6e6aa;"
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| {{color|white|–}}
| [[File:Sloan Gibson.jpg|75px]]
| [[Sloan D. Gibson]]<br>{{small|Acting}}
| [[Alabama]]
| May 30, 2014
| July 30, 2014
| {{ayd|May 30, 2014|July 30, 2014}}
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|8}}
| [[File:Robert A. McDonald Official Portrait.jpg|75px]]
| [[Bob McDonald (businessman)|Bob McDonald]]
| [[Ohio]]
| July 30, 2014
| January 20, 2017
| {{ayd|July 30, 2014|January 20, 2017}}
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| {{color|white|–}}
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| [[File:Robert Snyder.jpg|75px]]
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| [[Robert Snyder (civil servant)|Robert Snyder]]<br>{{small|Acting}}
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| [[West Virginia]]
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| January 20, 2017
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| February 14, 2017
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| {{ayd|January 20, 2017|February 14, 2017}}
| rowspan="5" style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan="5" |[[Donald Trump]]
|-
! style="background: {{Party shading/None}};" |9
| [[File:David Shulkin official photo (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| [[David Shulkin]]
| [[Pennsylvania]]
| February 14, 2017
| March 28, 2018
| {{ayd|February 14, 2017|March 28, 2018}}
|-style="background:#E6E6AA;" 
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| {{color|white|–}}
| [[File:Robert L. Wilkie acting SECVA official photo (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| [[Robert Wilkie]]<br>{{small|Acting}}
| [[North Carolina]]
| March 28, 2018
| May 29, 2018
| {{ayd|March 28, 2018|May 29, 2018}}
|-style="background:#E6E6AA;"
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};"| {{color|white|–}}
| [[File:Peter O'Rourke official photo (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| [[Peter O'Rourke (U.S. government official)|Peter O'Rourke]]<br>{{small|Acting}}
| [[Virginia]]
| May 29, 2018
| July 30, 2018
| {{ayd|May 29, 2018|July 30, 2018}}
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|10}}
| [[File:Robert Wilkie official portrait (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| [[Robert Wilkie]]
| [[North Carolina]]
| July 30, 2018
| January 20, 2021
| {{ayd|July 30, 2018|January 20, 2021}}
|-
! style="background: {{Party shading/None}};"| {{color|black|–}}
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| [[File:Acting US Secretary of VA Dat P Tran (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| [[Dat Tran]]<br>{{small|Acting}}
|style="background:#E6E6AA;"|
[[Ohio]]
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| January 20, 2021
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| February 9, 2021
| style="background:#E6E6AA;"| {{ayd|January 20, 2021|February 9, 2021}}
| rowspan="2" style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |
| rowspan="2" |[[Joe Biden]]
|-
! style="background: {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}};" |{{color|white|11}}
| style="background:#FFF;" |[[File:Secretary McDonough, official photo (cropped).jpg|frameless|91x91px]]
| style="background:#FFF;" |[[Denis McDonough]]
| style="background:#FFF;" |[[Minnesota]]
| style="background:#FFF;" |February 9, 2021
| style="background:#FFF;" |''Incumbent''
| style="background:#FFF;" |{{ayd|February 9, 2021}}
|-
|}
{{note label|1|1|1}} [[Anthony Principi]] served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as [[United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs|Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs]] September 26, 1992 – January 20, 1993.

{{note label|2|2|2}} [[Hershel W. Gober]] served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as [[United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs|Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs]] July 13, 1997 – January 2, 1998 and July 25, 2000 – January 20, 2001.<ref name="vagober">{{cite press release |title=Gober Takes Over Top Spot at VA |publisher=Department of Veterans Affairs |date=July 25, 2000 |url=http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=203 |access-date=September 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090713131352/http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=203 |archive-date=July 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

{{note label|3|3|3}} West served as Acting Secretary from January 2, 1998<ref name="WH">{{cite press release |title=President Clinton Names Togo D. West Jr. As Acting Secretary Of The Department Of Veterans' Affairs |publisher=White House |date=December 2, 1997 |url=http://clinton6.nara.gov/1997/12/1997-12-02-togo-west-named-acting-secretary-at-veterans-affairs.html |access-date=September 9, 2009 |archive-date=October 5, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061005221525/http://clinton6.nara.gov/1997/12/1997-12-02-togo-west-named-acting-secretary-at-veterans-affairs.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> to May 4, 1998.<ref name="vawest">{{cite web |author=Staff |title=The Honorable Togo D. West Jr. |publisher=[[United States Department of Veterans Affairs]] |date=May 1999 |url=http://www.va.gov/biographies/west.htm |access-date=September 9, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000304153405/http://www.va.gov/biographies/west.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2000}}</ref>

{{note label|4|4|4}} [[Gordon H. Mansfield]] served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as [[United States Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs|Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs]] October 1 – December 20, 2007.<ref>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|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080204184536/http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/12/20/peake_sworn_in_as_va_secretary/3728/ |date=February 4, 2008 }}, December 20, 2007. Accessed December 21, 2007.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Administrator of Veterans Affairs]]
*[[Veterans Health Administration]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}

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{{s-bef|before=[[Miguel Cardona]]|as=[[United States Secretary of Education|Secretary of Education]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[United States order of precedence|Order of precedence of the United States]]<br>''{{small|as Secretary of Veterans Affairs}}''|years=}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Alejandro Mayorkas]]|as=[[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|Secretary of Homeland Security]]}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[United States Secretary of Education|Secretary of Education]]<br>{{small|[[Miguel Cardona]]}}}}
{{s-ttl|title=17th in line}}
{{s-aft|after=[[United States Secretary of Homeland Security|Secretary of Homeland Security]]<br>{{small|[[Alejandro Mayorkas]]<br>Ineligible}}}}
{{s-end}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:United States Secretary Of Veterans Affairs}}
[[Category:Cabinet of the United States|Veterans Affairs]]
[[Category:Lists of members of the Cabinet of the United States|Veterans Affairs]]
[[Category:United States Department of Veterans Affairs|Secretary]]
[[Category:United States secretaries of veterans affair|United States Secretaries of Veterans Affairs]]