Presidential Authority To Place Positions At Levels Iv And V
Per § 5317, the president can at any time appoint no more than 34 individuals to pay rates Level IV and V, provided that they are viewed as a necessary change to organization, management responsibility, or workload within a specific agency. This figure is in addition to Level IV and V positions specifically authorized in the bill. However, Senate consent is required and the pay rate takes effect only upon a new appointment to that position. All actions taken during this process are to be published in the , except when it is deemed that such publication would stand in conflict to . The president may not take action under this section with respect to a position, the pay for which is fixed at a specific rate by this subchapter, or by statute enacted after 14 August 1964.
The following positions are granted Level IV pay status of the Executive Schedule:
Small And Disadvantaged Business Utilization
The Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization is the Departments principal liaison to the Small Business Administration , the Department of Commerce, the General Services Administration , and the Office of Federal Procurement Policy for matters dealing with small and disadvantaged business activities. OSDBUs mission is to enable Veterans to gain access to economic opportunity by leveraging the federal procurement system and expanding participation of procurement-ready small businesses.
Vice President And The Heads Of The Executive Departments
The Cabinet permanently includes the and the heads of 15 executive departments, listed here according to their . The and the follow the vice president and precede the secretary of state in the order of succession, but both are in the legislative branch and are not part of the Cabinet.
- , headed by the : became a military department within the .
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The Mission Of The Department Of Veterans Affairs
The VA mission statement reaches all the way back to the Civil War as a way to meet the expectations created by President Abraham Lincoln who promised that in return for military service, the federal government should care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan by serving and honoring the men and women who are Americas veterans.
Duties Of The Secretary Of Veteran Affairs
DAVID CHANDLER
The Secretary of Veteran Affairs oversees the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in its mission to provide health, education, disability, funerary, and financial benefits earned by veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It is a Cabinet position appointed by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate. The Department of Veterans Affairs was established in 1988 by the Department of Veterans Affairs Act and consists of three subordinate organizations: the Veterans Health Administration, the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the Veterans Cemetery Administration. President Obamas selection of retired U.S. Army General Erik Shinseki to this post continued the tradition of veterans serving in this post.
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Public Affairs / News Media
Contact the nearest regional Office of Public Affairs: Atlanta Chicago Dallas Denver Los Angeles New York or Washington, DC . Representatives of the national media may prefer contacting the Office of Public Affairs in the VA Central Office, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20420. Phone, 202-461-7400.
Other Independent Agency Officials
United States Agency for International Development
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Economic Growth, Education and Environment
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Global Health
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Management
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Africa
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Asia
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Europe and Eurasia
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean
- Assistant Administrator for the Bureau for the Middle East
Other independent agencies
- Deputy Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration , Department of Justice
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Sports Programs / Special Events
Having fun together by participating in adaptive sports improves health, creates new friends, and elevates the quality of life. Many sports opportunities are available to veterans of all ages and abilities. To get started, visit the “National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events” website and speak with your VA clinical team about getting involved.
United States Deputy Secretary Of Veterans Affairs
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The deputy secretary of veterans affairs, in the United States government, is the chief operating officer of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, responsible for a nationwide system of health care services, benefits programs, and national cemeteries for America’s veterans and their dependents.The deputy secretary is the second-highest-ranking officer in the Department and succeeds the secretary of veterans affairs in the event of his resignation, death, or otherwise inability to fulfill his duties.
The deputy secretary of veterans affairs is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The position was created with the creation of the Department of Veterans Affairs in October 1988.
Donald Remy is the current deputy secretary of veterans affairs since July 19, 2021.
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United States Presidential Line Of Succession
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The United States presidential line of succession is the in which the and other of the assume the powers and duties of the upon an elected president’s death, resignation, removal from office, or incapacity.
The order of succession specifies that the office passes to the vice president if the vice presidency is simultaneously vacant, or if the vice president is also incapacitated, the powers and duties of the presidency pass to the , , and then , depending on eligibility.
Presidential succession is referred to multiple times in the : , the , , and . The vice president is designated as first in the presidential line of succession by the Article II succession clause, which also authorizes to provide for a line of succession beyond the vice president. It has done so on three occasions. The current was adopted in 1947, and last revised in 2006. The 25th Amendment also establishes procedures for filling an intra-term vacancy in the office of the vice president.
List Of Deputy Secretaries Of Veterans Affairs
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Mr. Principi served as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, VA’s second-highest executive position, from March 17, 1989, to September 26, 1992, when he was named Acting Secretary of Veterans Affairs by President George Bush.
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Renamed Heads Of The Executive Departments
- : created in July 1781 and renamed Secretary of State in September 1789.
- : created in 1789 and was renamed as by the . The 1949 Amendments to the National Security Act of 1947 made the secretary of the Army a subordinate to the secretary of defense.
- : created in 1903 and renamed in 1913 when its labor functions were transferred to the new .
- Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare: created in 1953 and renamed in 1979 when its education functions were transferred to the new .
Addressing The Ballooning Va Budget
The VA budget has grown rapidly and significantly5 since 9/11. In FY 2001, its budget was $40 billion by 2009, President Barack Obamas first year in office and before the full impact of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was felt, it had risen to $94 billion. The FY 2021 budget that Congress passed in December 2020 allocated a whopping $243 billion to the VAan increase of more than $200 billion, or 500 percent, since 9/11. From FY 2020 to FY 2021 alone, the VA budget increased by 14 percent, an increase higher than that of any other federal agency. As a result, the VA now has the second-largest discretionary budget in the federal government, trailing only the Pentagon. Its budget is greater than the combined budgets of the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Department of Justice, and the entire intelligence community.6
This rapid increase is a result of several factors, including the large cohort of aging Vietnam War veterans and the increase in veterans from all generations using the VA for health care, especially the 4.1 million post-9/11 veterans.10 It is also due to the increasing cost of health care in the United States, the introduction of federal programs such as the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Visits Southern Cemetery
On November 6, 2022, the Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary, Donald Remy visited the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery which allowed time for NDVS to address achievements and challenges facing the veterans of Nevada. Scheduled the same day was a visit by National American Legion Commander Troiola that happened to coincide with the Deputy Secretarys visit. Both were given tours of the State Veterans Cemetery which allowed them to see the grounds, including the area that is to be expanded as approved by the VA.
Preparation for expansion of the cemetery is underway. The project will add approximately five acres and add over 10,000 in-ground plots and columbarium wall niches. Superintendent Naylor reinforced the fact that the SNVMC is the second busiest State Veterans Cemetery in the Nation this expansion is desperately needed, and the VAs support of this project is greatly appreciated.
NDVS Director Wagar noted this visit not only gave NDVS a chance to show the cemetery, but also gave him a chance to address other achievements including the ongoing expansion of the Southern Nevada State Veterans Home in Boulder City, NV, the initiation of the Nick Crombie Certified Nursing Assistant Academy and the creation of the Nevada Transition Assistance Program .
Director Wagar stated, It is always beneficial when you can visit one-on-one with the VA leadership and have a chance to discuss achievements and challenges facing the veterans of Nevada.
Helping Veterans Transition Into Civilian Society
The VA must work more effectively with the Department of Defense to improve the policies and systems that can help military people transition into civilian society. The VA and DOD should work to increase veterans understanding and access to the VAs health care, educational, and housing benefits that are available to them. The departments should also increase awareness of other resources that are available to veterans upon leaving the service to help them reenter civilian life. They can do this through public information campaigns, including making phone calls to newly separated veterans. They should also continue to increase resources that are available for veterans. As Sen. John Tester , the new chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs put it in an interview with Military Times, We do a great job making civilians into warriors. But we dont do as good a job making warriors into civilians.36
Moreover, the VA should quickly crack down on for-profit colleges, many of which exploit the 90/10 loophole37 that allows them to count veterans benefits toward the 10 percent of funding that they must receive from the private sector in order to qualify for federal loans and grants such as the GI Bill. In addition, the VA should cut off GI Bill funding for schools facing legal or punitive actions from the government for using erroneous, deceptive, or misleading ads.
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Contemporary Issues And Concerns
In 2003, the suggested that the current law has “at least seven significant issues … that warrant attention,” specifically:
Prioritizing The Women And Lgbtq People Who Serve In The Military
The VA must also prioritize providing women and LGBTQ service members equal access to earned benefits, as well as ending sexual harassment against them. Women are the fastest-growing segment of the veteran population. Since 2000, the number of women in the military has grown from 63,000 to 473,000an increase of 310,000, or almost 300 percent25and the number of women using VA health care has also tripled since then, growing from 160,000 to 475,000.26 Women now represent 16 percent of the current U.S. military force. LGBT personnel, meanwhile, are estimated to make up 6.1 percent27 of service members. A 2020 GAO report28 found that the VAs inconsistent collection of sexual orientation and gender identity data has limited its ability to assess health outcomes for LGBT veterans.
Despite all the indispensable services that women in uniform deliver to America, a great deal of those women have been subject to sexual assault,29 and many have chosen not to reenlist30 as a result. In April 2021, the VA took a step31 in the right direction to improve care for women and LGBTQ veterans, as well as the approximately 25 percent of veterans who are people of color, by committing to review its existing policies with an eye toward making them more inclusiveand designing and implementing more inclusive policies going forward.
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Calculation Of Pay Rate
| Level V | $165,300 |
Many political appointees have had their pay rate frozen at lower levels. According to § 5318, at the beginning of the first pay period for any position under the Executive Schedule, the amount of pay will be adjusted and rounded to the nearest multiple of US$100. If this amount is found to be midway between multiples of $100, then it will be rounded to the next highest multiple of $100.
Section 738 of division E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 , continued the freeze on the payable pay rates for certain senior political officials at 2013 levels through January 5, 2019. The failure to enact new appropriations legislation may allow the freeze to expire. However, the officially established and posted pay rates for 2018 are in effect and used for determining pay for other employees. For more information, please see Compensation Policy Memorandum 2018-08 at .
The Challenges Facing The Department Of Veterans Affairs In 2021
Denis McDonough, the new secretary of Veterans Affairs, must work to address his departments many challenges while supporting the veterans who return from war.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of the largest and most complex agencies in the U.S. government. Commonly referred to as the Veterans Administration , the department has an annual budget of $240 billion for fiscal year 2021.1 It currently has about 360,000 employees and maintains and operates approximately 6,000 buildings, including 1,600 health care facilities, 144 medical centers, and 1,232 outpatient sites of varying complexity. In addition to providing health care to approximately 9 million veterans annually through the Veterans Health Administration , it also administers the GI Bill education program and a home loan program for veterans, as well as maintains 135 cemeteries where Americans can bury the brave service members who have sacrificed so much for their country.2
Secretary McDonoughs challenges may be placed into seven categories:
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