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.
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.
