The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs was the name given to the previous Veterans Administration when it was elevated to a Cabinet-level executive department in 1988. This move, which took effect in 1989, gave the department a new name that allowed it to still be referred to by its longtime initials, the VA.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has three administrations: the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and the National Cemetery Administration (NCA). It provides medical care, benefits, and a variety of essential services to veterans of the U.S. armed forces and their families.