United States Department of Veterans Affairs
Seal of the Department of Veterans Affairs
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Flag of the Department of Veterans Affairs
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 Washington DC Headquarters |
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| Formed | July 21, 1930 (Cabinet rank March 15, 1989) |
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| Jurisdiction | United States federal government |
| Headquarters | 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, D.C., U.S. 38°54′3.25″N 77°2′5.36″W / 38.9009028°N 77.0348222°WCoordinates: 38°54′3.25″N 77°2′5.36″W / 38.9009028°N 77.0348222°W |
| Employees | 312,841 (2013) |
| Annual budget | $78.4 billion (2013) |
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| Child agency |
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| Website | www |
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA or DVA) is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. While veterans benefits have been provided since the Revolutionary War, the Veterans Administration itself was founded in 1930, and became the cabinet-level Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989.
With a total 2009 budget of about $87.6 billion, VA employs nearly 345,000 people at hundreds of Veterans Affairs medical facilities, clinics, and benefits offices and is responsible for administering programs of veterans’ benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors. In 2012, the proposed budget for VA was $132 billion. VA 2014 budget request for 2014 was $152.7 billion. This included $66.5 billion in discretionary resources and $86.1 billion in mandatory funding. The discretionary budget request represented an increase of $2.7 billion, or 4.3 percent, over the 2013 enacted level.
It is administered by the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
The Continental Congress of 1776 encouraged enlistments during the American Revolutionary War by providing pensions for soldiers who were disabled. Direct medical and hospital care given to veterans in the early days of the U.S. was provided by the individual states and communities. In 1811, the first domiciliary and medical facility for veterans was authorized by the federal government, but not opened until 1834. In the 19th century, the nation's veterans assistance program was expanded to include benefits and pensions not only for veterans, but also their widows and dependents.
After the end of the American Civil War in 1865, many state veterans' homes were established. Since domiciliary care was available at all state veterans homes, incidental medical and hospital treatment was provided for all injuries and diseases, whether or not of service origin. Indigent and disabled veterans of the Civil War, Indian Wars, Spanish–American War, and Mexican Border period as well as discharged regular members of the Armed Forces were cared for at these homes.
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