| United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs |
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 Official Seal |
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 Incumbent: Eric Ken Shinseki since: January 20, 2009 |
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| First | Ed Derwinski |
|---|---|
| Formation | March 15, 1989 |
| Presidential succession |
Seventeenth |
| Website | www.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 and related matters. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and second to last at 17th 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[1]). To date, all appointees and acting appointees to the post have been 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[2] or any other person designated by the President serves as Acting Secretary[2] until the President nominates and the United States Senate confirms a new Secretary.
On December 8, 2008, President Barack Obama announced he would nominate retired army General Eric Shinseki to be the 7th Secretary of Veterans Affairs. He was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate on January 20, 2009.[3]
Contents |
List of Secretaries of Veterans Affairs
Denotes acting Secretaries
| No. | Name | Portrait | State residency | Took office | Left office | President(s) served under |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ed Derwinski |  |
Illinois | March 15, 1989 | September 26, 1992 | George H. W. Bush |
| - | Anthony Principi |  |
California | September 26, 1992 | January 20, 1993 | |
| 2 | Jesse Brown |  |
Illinois | January 22, 1993 | July 3, 1997 | Bill Clinton |
| 3 | Togo D. West, Jr. |  |
Washington, D.C. | January 2, 19981 | May 5, 1998 | |
| May 5, 1998 | July 25, 2000 | |||||
| - | Hershel W. Gober 2 |  |
Arkansas | July 25, 2000 | January 20, 2001 | |
| 4 | Anthony Principi | |
California | January 23, 2001 | January 26, 2005 | George W. Bush |
| 5 | Jim Nicholson |  |
Colorado | January 26, 2005 | October 1, 2007 | |
| 6 | LT GEN (Ret.) James Peake |  |
December 20, 2007 | January 20, 2009 | ||
| 7 | GEN (Ret.) Eric Ken Shinseki | |
Hawaii | January 20, 2009 | present | Barack Obama |
^ West served as acting Secretary from January 2, 1998[4] to May 5, 1998.[5]
^ Acting secretary.[6]
Living former Secretaries of Veterans Affairs
- Edward Joseph Derwinski
- Togo Dennis West, Jr.
- Anthony Joseph Principi
- Robert James Nicholson
- James Peake
See also
Notes & references
- ^ Public Law 109-177§.503
- ^ a b : Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Accessed 2008-01-13.
- ^ http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hi6r-WMKkf2LwqPLQN0PhNMabNmgD95R59EG0
- ^ White House (1997-12-02). "President Clinton Names Togo D. West, Jr. As Acting Secretary Of The Department Of Veterans' Affairs". Press release. http://clinton6.nara.gov/1997/12/1997-12-02-togo-west-named-acting-secretary-at-veterans-affairs.html. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Staff (May 1999). "The Honorable Togo D. West, Jr.". Department of Veterans Affairs. http://web.archive.org/web/20000304153405/www.va.gov/biographies/west.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-09.
- ^ Department of Veterans Affairs (2000-07-25). "Gober Takes Over Top Spot at VA". Press release. http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=203. Retrieved 2009-09-29.
| United States presidential line of succession | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Secretary of Education |
17th in line | Succeeded by Secretary of Homeland Security |
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