The secretary is a member of the Cabinet and second to last at seventeenth[2] in the line of succession to the presidency (the position was last until the addition of the United States Department of Homeland Security in 2006[3]).

Until the appointment of David Shulkin in 2017, all appointees and acting appointees to the post were United States military veterans, but that is not a requirement to fill the position.

No party (2) Democratic (3) Republican (7) 1 Anthony Principi served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs September 26, 1992 – January 20, 1993.

2 Hershel W. Gober served as Acting Secretary in his capacity as Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs July 13, 1997 – January 2, 1998 and July 25, 2000 – January 20, 2001.

[5] 3 West served as Acting Secretary from January 2, 1998[6] to May 4, 1998.