Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 102 Part 3.djvu/683

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PUBLIC LAW 100-527—OCT. 25, 1988

Public Law 100-527 100th Congress

102 STAT. 2635

An Act

To establish the Veterans' Administration as an executive department, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "Department of Veterans Affairs Act". SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF VETERANS' ADMINISTRATION AS AN EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.

Oct. 25, 1988 [H.R. 3471] Department of Veterans Affairs Act. Government organization and employees. 38 USC 201 note. 38 USC 201 note.

The Veterans' Administration is hereby redesignated as the Department of Veterans Affairs and shall be an executive department in the executive branch of the Government. There shall be at President of U.S. the head of the Department a Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Department shall be administered under the supervision and direction of the Secretary. SEC. 3. PRINCIPAL OFFICERS.

38 USC 201 note.

(a) DEPUTY SECRETARY.—There shall be in the Department of Veterans Affairs a Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Deputy Secretary shall perform such functions as the Secretary shall prescribe. (b) CHIEF MEDICAL DIRECTOR.—(1) There shall be in the Department a Chief Medical Director, who shall be a doctor of medicine and shall, subject to subsection (f), be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, without regard to political affiliation or activity and solely on the basis of integrity and demonstrated ability in the medical profession, in health-care administration and policy formulation, and in health-care fiscal management, and on the basis of substantial experience in connection with the programs of the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration or programs of similar content and scope. The Chief Medical Director shall be the head of, and shall be directly responsible to the Secretary for the operations of, the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration. The Chief Medical Director shall be appointed for a period of four years, with reappointment permissible for successive like periods. If the President removes the Chief Medical Director prior to the completion of the term for which the Chief Medical Director is appointed, the President shall communicate the reasons for such removal to both Houses of Congress. (2)(A) Whenever a vacancy in the position of Chief Medical Director occurs or is anticipated, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a commission to recommend individuals to the President for appointment to the position.

President of U.S.

President of U.S.

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