2014 US Code
Title 38 - Veterans' Benefits (Sections 101 - 8528)
Part I - General Provisions (Sections 101 - 905)
Chapter 3 - Department of Veterans Affairs (Sections 301 - 322)
Sec. 303 - Secretary of Veterans Affairs

There is a Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who is the head of the Department and is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Secretary is responsible for the proper execution and administration of all laws administered by the Department and for the control, direction, and management of the Department.

(Added Pub. L. 102–83, §2(a), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 379.)

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 210(a), (b)(1) of this title and in second and third sentences of section 2 of Pub. L. 100–527, known as the Department of Veterans Affairs Act, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 102–83, §§2(a), 3(1).

Pub. L. 109–461, title X, §1001, Dec. 22, 2006, 120 Stat. 3464, provided that: "To the extent that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is required or directed, under any provision of law, to provide written notice to any committee of Congress other than the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives on the transfer of appropriations from one account to any other account, the Secretary shall also transmit such notice to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives."

Pub. L. 105–368, title I, §103, Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3322, provided that:

"(a) Assessment.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences, or another appropriate independent organization, under which such entity shall assist in developing a plan for the establishment of a national center or national centers for the study of war-related illnesses and post-deployment health issues. The purposes of such a center may include—

"(1) carrying out and promoting research regarding the etiologies, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of war-related illnesses and post-deployment health issues; and

"(2) promoting the development of appropriate health policies, including monitoring, medical recordkeeping, risk communication, and use of new technologies.

"(b) Recommendations and Report.—With respect to such a center, an agreement under this section shall provide for the Academy (or other entity) to—

"(1) make recommendations regarding: (A) design of an organizational structure or structures, operational scope, staffing and resource needs, establishment of appropriate databases, the advantages of single or multiple sites, mechanisms for implementing recommendations on policy, and relationship to academic or scientific entities; (B) the role or roles that relevant Federal departments and agencies should have in the establishment and operation of any such center or centers; and (C) such other matters as it considers appropriate; and

"(2) report to the Secretary, the Secretaries of Defense and Health and Human Services, and the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and House of Representatives, not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 11, 1998], on its recommendations.

"(c) Report on Establishment of National Center.—Not later than 60 days after receiving the report under subsection (b), the Secretaries specified in subsection (b)(2) shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and Armed Services of the Senate and the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and Natoinal [sic] Security of the House of Representatives a joint report on the findings and recommendations contained in that report. Such report may set forth an operational plan for carrying out any recommendation in that report to establish a national center or centers for the study of war-related illnesses. No action to carry out such plan may be taken after the submission of such report until the end of a 90-day period following the date of the submission."

Pub. L. 100–687, div. B, title XIV, §1404, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4131, as amended by Pub. L. 102–83, §§5(c)(2), 6(k)(3), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 406, 409, provided that:

"(a) Budget Information.—In the documentation providing detailed information on the budgets for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Labor that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Labor, respectively, submit to the Congress in conjunction with the President's budget submission for each fiscal year pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Labor shall identify, to the maximum extent feasible, the estimated amount in each of the appropriation requests for Department of Veterans Affairs accounts and Department of Labor accounts, respectively, that is to be obligated for the furnishing of each of the following services or benefits only to, or with respect to, veterans who performed active military, naval, or air service in combat with the enemy or in a theatre of combat operations during a period of war or other hostilities:

"(1) Employment services and other employment benefits under programs administered by the Secretary of Labor.

"(2) Compensation under chapter 11 of title 38, United States Code.

"(3) Dependency and Indemnity Compensation under chapter 13 of such title.

"(4) Pension under chapter 15 of such title.

"(5) Inpatient hospital care under chapter 17 of such title.

"(6) Outpatient medical care under chapter 17 of such title.

"(7) Nursing home care under chapter 17 of such title.

"(8) Domiciliary care under chapter 17 of such title.

"(9) Readjustment counseling services under section 1712A of such title.

"(10) Insurance under chapter 19 of such title.

"(11) Specially adapted housing for disabled veterans under chapter 21 of such title.

"(12) Burial benefits under chapter 23 of such title.

"(13) Educational assistance under chapters 30, 32, and 34 of such title and chapter 106 of title 10, United States Code.

"(14) Vocational rehabilitation services under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code.

"(15) Survivors' and dependents' educational assistance under chapter 35 of such title.

"(16) Home loan benefits under chapter 37 of such title.

"(17) Automobiles and adaptive equipment under chapter 39 of such title.

"(b) Report on Feasibility.—If the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of Labor determines that, with respect to any services or benefits referred to in subsection (a), it is not feasible to identify an estimated dollar amount to be obligated for furnishing such services or benefits only to veterans described in that subsection for any fiscal year, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of Labor shall, with respect to an appropriation request for such fiscal year relating to such services or benefits, report to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the House of Representatives the reasons for the infeasibility. The report shall be submitted contemporaneously with the budget submission for such fiscal year. The report shall specify (1) the information, systems, equipment, or personnel that would be required in order for it to be feasible for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs or the Secretary of Labor to identify such amount, and (2) the actions to be taken in order to ensure that it will be feasible to make such an estimate in connection with the submission of the budget request for the next fiscal year."

Pub. L. 100–322, title I, §123, May 20, 1988, 102 Stat. 504, as amended by Pub. L. 102–83, §6(j)(2), Aug. 6, 1991, 105 Stat. 409; Pub. L. 102–531, title III, §312(c), Oct. 27, 1992, 106 Stat. 3504, provided that:

"(a) Information Program.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish and carry out an information program relating to the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (hereinafter in this section referred to as 'AIDS'). The information program shall be for employees and consultants of the Department of Veterans Affairs, for other persons providing services in Department of Veterans Affairs facilities to beneficiaries of programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for such beneficiaries.

"(b) Required Elements of Information Program.—In conducting the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

"(1) develop, in consultation with the Surgeon General of the United States and the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, publications and other materials containing information on AIDS, including information on the prevention of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus;

"(2) provide for periodic dissemination of publications (including the Surgeon General's Report on AIDS) and other materials containing such information;

"(3) make publications and other suitable materials containing such information readily available in Department of Veterans Affairs health-care facilities and such other Department of Veterans Affairs facilities as the Secretary considers appropriate; and

"(4) disseminate information (including the Surgeon General's Report on AIDS) on the risk of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus, and information on preventing the transmission of such virus, to Department of Veterans Affairs substance abuse treatment personnel, to each person being furnished treatment by the Department of Veterans Affairs for drug abuse, and to each person receiving care or services from the Department of Veterans Affairs whom the Secretary believes to be at high risk for AIDS.

"(c) Training in AIDS Prevention.—The Secretary shall establish and carry out a program that provides for education, training, and other activities (including continuing education and infection control programs) regarding AIDS and the human immunodeficiency virus designed to improve the effectiveness and safety of all health-care personnel and all health-care support personnel involved in the furnishing of care under programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs."

For assignment of certain emergency preparedness functions to Secretary of Veterans Affairs, see Parts 1, 2, and 27 of Ex. Ord. No. 12656, Nov. 18, 1988, 53 F.R. 47491, set out as a note under section 5195 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.