VA secretary promises diverse leadership team, but can’t say when they’ll be in place February 23 Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough speaks during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on Jan. 27, 2021. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP)
Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough vowed that his leadership team at the federal bureaucracy will reflect the diversity of America’s veterans but offered no timeline for when other key senior posts at the department will be filled. “This will be a really important piece of demonstrating seriousness about diversity and inclusion,” McDonough said in a press conference with reporters on Tuesday. “Our political appointees to date reflect that. That’s intentional.”
Senate confirms McDonough as next Veterans Affairs secretary February 8 Veterans Affairs Secretary nominee Denis McDonough speaks during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs on Jan. 27, 2021. (Sarah Silbiger/Pool via AP) Senate lawmakers approved Denis McDonough as the next Veterans Affairs secretary on Monday, making him only the second non-veteran ever confirmed to lead the department.
McDonough, who served as White House Chief of Staff under former President Barack Obama, was tapped by President Joe Biden to lead the massive veterans agency in a bid to streamline operations and reduce bureaucracy. “I understand how to untangle and solve large, complex challenges, both across and within large agencies,” he told members of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee during his confirmation hearing last month.
Biden names temporary VA leadership as his secretary nominee awaits Senate debate January 20 President-elect Joe Biden, right, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, left, look on as former Obama White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough delivers remarks after being introduced as Biden’s nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Queen Theater on Dec. 11, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Veterans Affairs’ data and technology expert will serve as acting secretary for the entire department as the Senate considers the nomination of Denis McDonough to serve in the permanent Cabinet post. Officials from the new administration of President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that Dat Tran, principal deputy assistant secretary for VA’s Office of Enterprise Integration, will serve as acting secretary until McDonough’s confirmation process concludes.