“More than two months since he took office, President Joe Biden still hasn’t named nominees for most of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ top leadership posts or given a timeline for when those appointments might occur.”
“The delay risks jeopardizing the administration’s plans for reform and improvements at the department, although VA Secretary Denis McDonough insists that the absence of permanent senior leaders has not had any negative impact on operations thus far.”
“’I have great confidence in the professionals I have met through my first days as secretary,’ he told reporters during a press conference on Friday. ‘They surely have the capacity and experience.’”
“McDonough was announced as Biden’s pick to lead VA in December and confirmed less than three weeks after Biden took office. Since then, however, there has been no public announcements about department leadership.”
“Among the spots without nominees are the second-highest ranking post in VA (filled currently by acting Deputy VA Secretary Carolyn Clancy), the top VA health official (filled currently by Acting VA Under Secretary for Health Richard Stone), the top VA benefits official (filled currently by acting Veterans Benefits Administration head Thomas Murphy) and the top VA memorial affairs official (filled currently by acting National Cemetery Administration Ron Walters) …” Read the full article here.
Source: VA reform plans at risk as White House slow to fill top leadership posts — By Leo Shane III, March 29, 2021. Military Times.
