Accountable Leadership for Veterans Act of 2025

The Accountable Leadership for Veterans Act of 2025 aims to reform the leadership structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by increasing the flexibility of the President to appoint senior officials. Specifically, the bill would double the allowable percentage of non-career Senior Executive Service (SES) employees at the VA from 5% to 10%. This change is intended to bring the VA in line with other federal agencies, allowing leadership to more quickly fill management roles with outside experts who are directly accountable to the administration's goals.

Additionally, the legislation proposes to simplify the appointment process for two of the most critical roles within the department: the Under Secretary for Health and the Under Secretary for Benefits. The bill would remove existing bureaucratic requirements for these positions, requiring only a direct presidential appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate. By streamlining these appointments, the bill seeks to reduce the time these leadership positions remain vacant and ensure that those overseeing veteran healthcare and benefits delivery are more directly accountable to elected leadership.