Department of Veterans Affairs deputy secretary confirmed
By PVA National Staff
The Senate confirmed James Byrne to fill VA’s number two slot by an 81-11 vote on September 11. Byrne had served as the agency’s general counsel since August 2017 and acting deputy secretary since August 2018.
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President Trump nominated him for the deputy position on April 29 and the Senate held his confirmation hearing in mid-May. Byrne’s confirmation fills one of several persistent vacancies in the VA’s leadership. Most notably, the Administration has yet to nominate a permanent leader for the Veterans Health Administration, which has been led by Dr. Richard Stone in an acting capacity for more than two years.