House Report 119-161 - MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2026

[House Report 119-161]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 119-161

======================================================================

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2026

_______

June 10, 2025.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed

_______

Mr. Carter of Texas, from the Committee on Appropriations,
submitted the following

R E P O R T

together with

MINORITY VIEWS

[To accompany H.R. 3944]

The Committee on Appropriations submits the following
report in explanation of the accompanying bill making
appropriations for military construction, veterans affairs and
related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.

INDEX TO BILL AND REPORT

Page Number

Bill Report
Purpose of the Bill........................................
2
Summary of Committee Recommendation........................
2
Title I--Department of Defense
Military Construction.............................. 2
3
NATO Security Investment Program................... 9
21
Department of Defense Base Closure Account......... 10
21
Family Housing Construction and Operation and
Maintenance.................................... 10
22
Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement
Fund........................................... 12
23
Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied Hsg.
Improvement Fund............................... 12
23
Administrative Provisions.......................... 13
23
Title II--Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration................... 27
27
Veterans Health Administration..................... 31
33
National Cemetery Administration................... 36
62
Departmental Administration........................ 37
63
Administrative Provisions.......................... 46
70
Title III--Related Agencies
American Battle Monuments Commission............... 81
74
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.......... 82
75
Cemeterial Expenses, Army.......................... 82
75
Armed Forces Retirement Home....................... 83
75
Administrative Provision........................... 83
76
Title IV--General Provisions............................... 84
76

Purpose of the Bill

The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related
Agencies Appropriations bill funds the Department of Defense's
activities related to military construction; family housing
construction, maintenance, and oversight; and environmental
remediation at closed military bases. The bill also funds the
Department of Veterans Affairs, including programs to assist
veterans, such as disability and pension benefits, education,
healthcare, and insurance and loan programs. The bill funds
four related agencies that honor and respect the Nation's
veterans including the American Battle Monuments Commission;
Cemeterial Expenses, Army (including Arlington National
Cemetery); the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims; and
the Armed Forces Retirement Home.

Summary of Committee Recommendation

The Committee recommends $453,665,619,000 in total budget
authority for the fiscal year 2026 programs and activities
funded in the bill.
The bill includes $301,574,619,000 for mandatory programs
and $152,091,000,000 for discretionary programs.
The bill provides $17,989,000,000 for military construction
and family housing. This is an increase of $480,000,000 above
the fiscal year 2025 enacted level.
The bill provides $435,333,099,000 for fiscal year 2026 for
the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is an increase of
$67,604,483,000 above the fiscal year 2025 enacted level. Of
the total, $301,574,619,000 is provided for mandatory benefit
programs and $133,758,480,000 is provided for discretionary
programs, which is a 13 percent increase above the fiscal year
2025 level. Of the total for fiscal year 2026, $131,439,000,000
for veterans' healthcare was advanced in the fiscal year 2025
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2023
(P.L 119-4).
For fiscal year 2027, the Committee recommendation includes
$122,258,000,000 in advance appropriations for the four
veterans' medical care accounts and $262,103,337,000 in advance
appropriations for mandatory benefits programs.
The Committee recommendation provides a total of
$324,101,000, which is $178,209,000 below the fiscal year 2025
enacted level for the four Related Agencies: The American
Battle Monuments Commission, the U.S. Court of Appeals for
Veterans Claims, Army Cemeterial Expenses (including Arlington
National Cemetery), and the Armed Forces Retirement Home.
The Committee notes that the President's Budget Request
includes several important proposals to reform and reorganize
the Federal government. The Committee applauds these efforts to
improve efficiency while reducing waste, fraud and abuse. Such
reforms are long overdue. The Committee notes that the
authorizing committees of jurisdiction have not yet had the
opportunity to consider these reorganizational proposals.
Accordingly, the Committee's bill and report reflect the
current organizational structure of the agencies funded herein.
The Committee looks forward to working with the authorizing
committees of jurisdictions as they act on the President's
proposed organization reforms.
Advertising Contracts for Small Business.--The Committee
understands that, as the largest advertiser in the United
States, the Federal government should work to ensure fair
access to its advertising contracts for small, disadvantaged
businesses and businesses owned by minorities and women. The
Committee directs each department and agency to include the
following information in its fiscal year 2026 budget
justification: Expenditures for fiscal year 2024 and expected
expenditures for fiscal year 2026, respectively, for (1) all
contracts for advertising services; and (2) contracts for the
advertising services of (I) socially and economically
disadvantaged small businesses concerns (as defined in section
8(a)(4) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(a)(4)); and
(II) women-and minority-owned businesses.

TITLE I

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Military Construction Overview

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $17,509,242,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 17,989,000,000

Military construction accounts provide funds for new
construction, construction improvements, planning and design,
and host nation support. Projects funded by these accounts
include facilities for operations, training, readiness,
maintenance, research and development, supply, medical care,
and force protection as well as unaccompanied housing,
military-owned family housing, utilities infrastructure, and
land acquisition.

COMMITTEE DIRECTIVES

In addition to the notification and reporting requirements
for military construction programs contained in Title 10,
United States Code, the Committee's recommendations include
several provisions requiring the Department of Defense to
report on various aspects of military construction programs and
to provide notification to the Committee when certain actions
are taken. The Committee also retains prior approval authority
for any reprogramming of funds exceeding a specific threshold.
Reprogramming Guidelines.--The following reprogramming
guidelines apply for all military construction and family
housing projects. A project or account (including the sub-
elements of an account) that has been specifically reduced by
Congress in acting on the budget request is considered to be a
Congressional interest item and as such, prior approval is
required. Accordingly, no reprogramming to an item specifically
reduced below the threshold by Congress is permitted, except
that the Department may seek reprogramming for appropriated
increments.
The reprogramming criteria that applies to military
construction projects is 25 percent of the funded amount or
$6,000,000 and includes new housing construction projects and
improvements. To provide the Services the flexibility to
proceed with construction contracts without disruption or
delay, the costs associated with environmental hazard
remediation such as asbestos removal, radon abatement, lead-
based paint removal or abatement, and any other legislated
environmental hazard remediation may be excluded, if such
remediation requirements could not be reasonably anticipated at
the time of the budget submission. Reprogramming is a courtesy
provided to the Department by the Committee and can be taken
away if the authority is abused. This exclusion applies to
projects authorized in this budget year as well as projects
authorized in prior years for which construction has not been
completed. Design costs associated with military construction
and family housing projects may also be excluded from these
guidelines. In instances where prior approval for a
reprogramming request for a project or account has been
received from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress, the adjusted amount approved becomes the new base
for any future increase or decrease via below-threshold
reprogramming (provided that the project or account is not a
Congressional interest item as defined above).
In addition to these guidelines, the Services are directed
to adhere to the guidance for military construction
reprogramming actions and notifications, including the
pertinent statutory authorities contained in DOD Financial
Management Regulation 7000.14-R and relevant updates and policy
memoranda. The Committee further encourages the Office of the
Director of National Intelligence to use a format similar to
that used by the Office of the Secretary of Defense to submit
reprogramming requests.
Bid Savings.--The Committee directs the Secretary of
Defense to submit 1002 reports on military construction bid
savings not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act,
and biannually thereafter, to the Committees on Appropriations
of both Houses of Congress.
Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization
(FSRM).--The Department is directed to continue describing on
form 1390 the backlog of FSRM requirements at installations
with future construction projects. For troop housing requests,
form 1391 should describe any FSRM conducted in the past two
years. Likewise, future requirements for unaccompanied housing
at the corresponding installation should be included.
Additionally, the forms should include English equivalent
measurements for projects presented in metric measurement.
Rules for funding repairs of facilities under the operation and
maintenance accounts are described below:
(1) components of the facility may be repaired by
replacement. Such replacement can be up to current
standards or codes;
(2) interior arrangements and restorations may be
included as repair;
(3) additions and new facilities, may be done
concurrently with repair projects as long as the final
conjunctively funded project is a complete and usable
facility; and
(4) the appropriate Service Secretary shall notify
the appropriate committees 21 days prior to carrying
out any repair project with an estimated cost in excess
of $7,500,000.
Quarterly Summary of Notifications.--The Committee directs
the Services and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (on
behalf of itself and defense agencies) to continue to submit a
quarterly report listing all notifications that have been
submitted to the Committees during the preceding three-month
period.
Incremental Funding of Projects.--In general, the Committee
supports full funding for military construction projects if
they are executable. However, it continues to be the practice
of the Committee to provide incremental funding for certain
large projects to enable the Services to more efficiently
allocate military construction dollars among projects that can
be executed in the year of appropriation.
Transfer of Funds to and from the Foreign Currency
Fluctuations, Construction, Defense Account.--Committee directs
the Department of Defense to submit a quarterly report to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress on the
transfer of funds from military construction and family housing
accounts to the Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Construction,
Defense account. The report shall specify the amount
transferred to the Foreign Currency account from each military
construction and/or family housing account, and all other
accounts for which an appropriation is provided in this Act,
during the preceding fiscal quarter, and the amounts
transferred from the Foreign Currency account to the above
accounts during the same period. This report shall be submitted
no later than 30 days after the close of each fiscal quarter.
In addition, the Department shall notify the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress within 7 days of
transferring any amount in excess of $10,000,000 to or from the
Foreign Currency account.
Unfunded Priority List (UPL) and Future Years Defense
Program (FYDP).--The Committee directs the Department of
Defense and Military Services, active and reserve components as
well as Combatant Commanders, as required by law, to submit a
UPL and FYDP to the congressional defense committees for
military construction projects no later than 10 days and 5
days, respectively, after the President's budget is submitted
to Congress.
Work in Progress or Planned (WIP) Curve.--The Committee
directs the Services and the Office of the Secretary of Defense
(on behalf of itself and defense agencies) to submit a WIP
curve for each project requested in a budget submission above
$90,000,000 with the form 1391 justification to the
congressional defense committees. The Committee also directs
the Secretary of Defense to report to the congressional defense
committees quarterly, beginning in the second quarter of fiscal
year 2024 and each quarter thereafter, of projects that remain
unawarded from the current and prior fiscal years and the
reasons for delay.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Additive Manufacturing.--The Committee recognizes that
recent advancements in additive manufacturing warrant continued
research into local material sourcing for autonomous
construction. The Department of Defense's 2021 Additive
Manufacturing (AM) Strategy emphasizes AM's potential to
enhance operational readiness by enabling rapid, on-site
production of components, thereby reducing reliance on extended
supply chains. Additionally, academic studies have demonstrated
that AM can decrease labor costs, reduce material waste, and
create customized complex geometries, which are particularly
beneficial in challenging construction environments.
The Committee encourages the Department of Defense to
further explore and implement these innovative technologies in
future infrastructure projects. Moreover, the Committee
recommends prioritizing applications in extreme weather
environments that require enhanced protection from
adversaries--such as Guam, where military construction premiums
are significantly higher due to geographic distance, and
locations like Alaska and Poland, where severe cold accelerates
infrastructure deterioration.
Advanced Nuclear Power for Military Installations Program
(ANPI).--The Committee recognizes the need to expand energy
resilience across the Department of Defense and notes the
potential for the ANPI program to improve installation level
energy resilience. The Committee encourages the Secretary of
Defense to work within the Department and with external
partners to identify potential infrastructure needs for the
ANPI.
Barracks and Dormitories.--The Committee remains concerned
about the inadequate conditions of DOD unaccompanied housing
and continues to direct the Department to expeditiously address
the findings of the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
report entitled, ``Military Barracks: Poor Living Conditions
Undermine Quality of Life and Readiness'' (GAO-23-105797). The
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to report not later
than 90 days after enactment of this Act of amounts utilized
across the Department of Defense to address the recommendations
by GAO in prior fiscal years and amounts required over the
fiscal year 2026 to fiscal 2030 period for such purposes, and a
long-term estimate of resources needed to fully address the
findings in the report and ensure long-term commitment to
quality barracks and dormitories across the Department of
Defense.
Building Materials.--The Committee supports the use by the
Department of a diversity of building materials, and directs
the Department to ensure selected building materials are
mature, cost effective, and advance the performance,
sustainability, reliability, and resiliency of DoD
infrastructure. The Committee believes that Federal resources
are best utilized when all materials can compete on their own
merits, allowing for the best solutions to address our
infrastructure challenges. The Committee further notes the need
for building materials and heating systems to undergo rigorous
testing, including in extreme temperature and conditions.
Camp Bull Simons Child Development Center.--The Committee
is concerned with the lack of affordable and accessible
childcare for servicemembers stationed at Camp Bull Simons and
Eglin Air Force Base. The Army and the Air Force stood up a
task force to review and propose solutions to construct a child
development center that would meet the needs of affected
families. The Committee directs the Secretaries of the Army and
the Air Force to brief the Committee within 30 days of
enactment of this Act on their funding plans for fiscal year
2026 with respect to construction of a CDC serving the families
at these installations and what steps the Services are taking
to expeditiously provide for a permanent childcare solution for
families at Eglin Air Force Base and Camp Bull Simons.
Child Development Centers.--The Committee continues to be
concerned about the chronic shortage of quality childcare at
Department of Defense installations. The Committee encourages
the Department of Defense and the Services to consider
innovative solutions to improve childcare delivery on military
installations, including programs similar to other successful
public-private partnerships at the Department. The Secretary of
Defense, in conjunction with the Services, shall deliver to the
Committees on Appropriations a report on new potential
solutions to the childcare challenges, including an evaluation
of the feasibility of utilizing public-private partnerships to
deliver childcare at Department installations, no later than 60
days after enactment of this Act.
Demolition of Excess Infrastructure.--The bill includes
$75,000,000 for unspecified minor military construction for
demolition across the active and reserve components. The
Committee is concerned about the amount of excess and obsolete
infrastructure found on installations. While the Committee
understands the need to balance demolition with other
infrastructure needs, excess infrastructure can be costly to
maintain and divert resources away from current requirements.
Diego Garcia.--The Committee notes the strategic importance
of Diego Garcia in current and future conflicts. To better
understand the Department of Defense's needs to support the
security and infrastructure of the installation, the Committee
directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a report, not later
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
summarizing the plans for military construction and associated
infrastructure needs to maximize the effectiveness of an
enhanced posture in USINDOPACOM. Specifically, this report
should contain an assessment of how the transfer of sovereignty
of the Chagos Archipelago from the United Kingdom to Mauritius
impacts the Department of Defense's military construction plans
at the base.
Enhanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense System on
Guam.--Not later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the Committee
on Appropriations of the deployment of the Enhanced Integrated
Air Missile Defense System on Guam detailing the impacts on
public infrastructure in Guam along with a plan to mitigate any
negative effects. Not later than 30 days after the enactment of
this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall consult with the
Committee on the elements to be evaluated as part of the
report.
Evan's Law.--The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense
to report to the congressional defense committees not later
than 90 days after enactment of this Act on the implementation
of Evan's Law and the use of funds to retrofit or install fall
prevention devices in both privatized and military-owned
housing. The report shall include information on the use of
funds for such purpose in prior fiscal years and the planned
use of funds for such purpose in fiscal year 2026, and steps
already taken and planned for fiscal year 2026 by the
Department to ensure consistent implementation of Evan's Law
across both privatized and military-owning housing.
Guam Military Housing.--The Committee directs the Secretary
of Defense, in coordination with the Secretaries of the
military departments, to submit a report to the Committee on
Appropriations not later than 120 days after the enactment of
this Act, detailing the cost implications and feasibility of
transitioning military housing on Guam to a Public-Private
Partnership model. Not later than 30 days after the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary is directed to consult with the
Committee on the elements to be evaluated as part of the
report.
Hydro-Vacuum Excavation.--The Committee is aware that,
according to construction industry reporting, 180,471 unique
incidents of damage to underground utilities occurred across
the United States during civilian infrastructure projects in
2023. The Committee is concerned that such utility strikes
contribute to project delays, increased costs, and disruptions
to essential services in communities surrounding construction
sites, particularly when alternative excavation methods--such
as hand-digging--are used. The Committee is further concerned
that utility strikes during military construction projects
present an additional risk, as resulting service interruptions
could adversely impact military readiness and operational
continuity. Therefore, the Committee urges the Department of
Defense to incorporate hydro-vacuum excavation methods when
locating underground utilities in advance of military
construction activities, to reduce the risk of accidental
strikes and ensure continuity of operations.
Innovative Construction Methods.--The Committee is aware of
interest across the Department of Defense, including the U.S.
Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) in innovative
construction solutions to address the challenges of operating
in remote or disaster-prone locations. These challenges include
limited access to traditional construction materials, long
logistical timelines, and vulnerability to extreme weather or
natural disasters.
The Committee urges the Secretary of Defense to prioritize
and support efforts by SMDC and other entities at the
Department to identify, evaluate, and pilot novel construction
methods, such as modular systems, additive manufacturing, and
rapid-deployable structures, that can enhance the resilience,
speed, and sustainability of infrastructure in austere
environments.
The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a
briefing to the Committee within 90 days of the enactment of
this Act outlining current requirements, pilot projects under
consideration, and potential resourcing gaps.
Laboratory Infrastructure.--The Committee is concerned that
aging laboratory infrastructure threatens the ability of
Services to maintain the advanced technology necessary to keep
ahead of U.S. adversaries across all domains. Accordingly, the
Committee provides an additional $105,000,000 for laboratory
infrastructure projects. The Services are directed to provide a
spend plan not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act
regarding the use of these funds.
Linear Power Generation.--The Committee understands that
fuel agnostic linear generators can achieve over 50% net system
efficiency, are compatible with more than 22 fuel types, and
can house 2 megawatts of power in a standard 20-foot shipping
container. These systems can shift between different fuel types
in real-time without depleting fuel tanks or requiring hardware
changes. The committee encourages the DoD to invest in
scalable, fuel agnostic linear power generation as a means of
improving grid resiliency at military installations.
Mass Timber.--The Committee is aware that the use of cross
laminated timber and other mass timber products as a building
material has the potential to reduce costs, limit environmental
impact, and increase functionality of various military
structures. The Committee encourages the Department of Defense
to continue exploring the application of these innovative
technologies in future planning and design for military
construction projects.
Military Construction Needs.--The Committee recognizes
efforts by the Military Services to explore innovative means by
which to meet military construction needs. Therefore, the
Committee directs the Assistant Secretaries for Energy,
Installations, and Environment of each Military Service to
submit a report, no later than 120 days after enactment, to
include the following:
(a) A feasibility assessment on the potential application
of Inter-Governmental Support Agreements (IGSA) for Major
Military Construction Projects under a modified term agreement
of up to 20 years; and
(b) An assessment of any further modifications to
traditional IGSA requirements that may be necessary to support
the administration and execution of Major Military
Construction, as advisable.
Progressive Design Build.--The Committee is encouraged by
the Department of Defense's ongoing evaluation of Progressive
Design-Build (PDB) as an alternative project delivery method
for military construction projects. PDB offers the potential to
improve cost control, schedule certainty, and collaborative
planning on complex or large-scale efforts. The Committee
commends the Department's efforts to explore innovative
delivery models and encourages the use of PDB where appropriate
to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in project
execution.
Remote Pacific Locations.--The Committee is aware of the
strategic importance of remote Pacific locations. While the
committee applauds the focus on modernizing and strengthening
our USINDOPACOM infrastructure through the Pacific Deterrence
Initiative, the committee requests an update on the current
projects and future need. Specifically, the Committee is
requesting a classified briefing on military construction needs
at Wake Island, Midway, Guam, Tinian, the Republic of Marshall
Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of
Palau, and other locations in the Pacific Islands. To better
understand the Department of Defense's needs to support the
security and infrastructure of these installations, the
Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a report,
not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, summarizing the plans for military construction and
associated infrastructure needs to maximize the effectiveness
of an enhanced posture in USINDOPACOM.
Resilient Military Installations.--The Committee supports
the Department's continued efforts to build lasting and
resilient military installations. These efforts include using
methods that update hurricane-resistant building codes for
bases, barracks, hospitals, and airfields and reviewing the
effect of severe drought and desertification and how these two
hazards affect installations and missions. The Committee
encourages the Department to continue investing in innovative
infrastructure projects to increase infrastructure resiliency
and reduce costs.
Streamlining the Facilities Investment Plan Preparations.--
The Committee is aware of the Department of the Army's
Installation Management Command's (IMCOM) interest in
leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to improve
infrastructure planning processes. The Committee encourages the
Department of Defense to explore and implement AI tools to
streamline data collection, standardize facility condition
assessments, and enhance the efficiency and accuracy of
Facilities Investment Plan (FIP) preparations. AI-enabled
systems can help prioritize projects based on mission impact,
lifecycle costs, and readiness needs, thereby supporting more
informed and timely investment decisions.

Military Construction, Army

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025..................... $2,236,357,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026.......... 2,103,657,000

The Committee recommends $2,103,657,000 for the Army in
fiscal year 2026, including an additional $12,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2025 enacted level for unspecific minor military
construction. Of the total, $77,300,000 is for the following
projects in the following amounts:

Aberdeen Proving Ground Lab and Test Building.--The
Committee notes the inclusion of funding for a Lab and Test
Building at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) in the Army's
fiscal year 2025 to 2029 Future Years Defense Plan and supports
the use of funds to modernize APG's existing laboratories to
state-of-the-art facilities, enhancing research and development
capabilities.
Army Space and Missile Defense Command.--The Committee is
aware that the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command
(SMDC) has expressed interest in innovative construction
solutions to address the challenges of operating in remote or
disaster-prone locations. These challenges include limited
access to traditional construction materials, long logistical
timelines, and vulnerability to extreme weather or natural
disasters.
The Committee urges the Secretary of the Army to prioritize
and support efforts by SMDC and other relevant components to
identify, evaluate, and pilot novel construction methods, such
as modular systems, additive manufacturing, and rapid-
deployable structures, that can enhance the resilience, speed,
and sustainability of infrastructure in austere environments.
The Committee directs the Department to provide a briefing
to the Committee within 90 days of enactment outlining current
requirements, pilot projects under consideration, and potential
resourcing gaps.
Barracks Conditions at Fort Cavazos.--The Committee remains
concerned about the condition of barracks at Fort Cavazos and
notes support for the previously planned investment of
$627,000,000 for five new barracks over the fiscal year 2025 to
fiscal year 2029 period at Fort Cavazos. The Secretary of the
Army is directed to report to the Committee on Appropriations
not later than 60 days after the enactment of the Act on
planned investments in barracks at Fort Cavazos over the fiscal
year 2026 to 2030 period, including investments in new barracks
and refurbishment and routine maintenance of existing barracks.
The Secretary shall further perform a condition assessment of
each existing barracks at Fort Cavazos and include the results
of those assessments in such report.
Energy Reliability and Generator Deployment.--The Committee
remains concerned about the reliability of energy across Army
installations, particularly in remote or resource-constrained
locations where interruptions in power may jeopardize mission
readiness and operational continuity.
To address these concerns, the Committee directs the
Department of Defense to support the design, simulation,
development, and deployment of several modular generator
systems to military installations within the United States that
represent a range of operational environments and climatic
conditions. The Committee encourages the Department to consider
modular, multi-fuel generator technologies, including linear
power generators, as part of this effort to enhance energy
resilience and flexibility across the force.
Engineer, Research & Development Center (ERDC).--The
Committee notes the limited and outdated testing infrastructure
at the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) of the
U.S. Army of Engineers and is concerned about the ERDC's
ability to fulfill its mission to develop advanced airfield and
pavement research requirements for high heat-resistant
capability and sustainability. The Committee urges the Army
Futures Command and ERDC to prioritize the development of a
dedicated Jet Engine Thrust Simulator facility to conduct this
critical research in support of operational readiness of the
Department's advanced missile launch platforms and Vertical/
Short Take-off and Landing aircraft and ensuring operational
readiness.
Directorate of Public Works Facilities.--The Committee
recognizes the critical role of Directorate of Public Works
(DPW) in promoting mission readiness and quality of life of
servicemembers and notes support for advancement of projects
improving DPW facilities.
Fort Huachuca Infrastructure Improvements.--The Committee
notes the need for investment in several important projects at
Fort Huachuca, including the Fort's fire station and air
traffic control tower, both of which are in dire need of
investment to meet mission needs.
Oahu Wildland Fire Center.--The Committee understands the
critical role the Army's wildland firefighters in Hawaii play
in preventing wildfires on Army training lands on Oahu and
assisting non-military partners during emergencies elsewhere on
the island. To better understand the condition of the Army's
existing facilities on Oahu, the Committee directs the
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and
Environment to provide a report, not later than 90 days after
the date of the enactment of this Act, summarizing the
infrastructure investment needs to support these efforts.
Partnerships and Land-Lease Agreements.--The Committee is
aware of strains on cost and timeline for military construction
needs of the Department of Defense and recognizes efforts by
the Services to explore alternative means by which to meet
military construction needs. Therefore, the Committee directs
the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy, Installations,
and Environment to submit a report, no later than 120 days
after enactment, to include the following: (1) a feasibility
assessment on permitting military installations, such as Fort
Bliss, to form partnerships for the construction of non-
military facilities to be operated by the Army, to include
unclassified office spaces, child development centers, and
other non-sensitive structures in exchange for land-lease
agreements to allow use of excess and unused land and
infrastructure; and (2) a proposed oversight plan to permit the
Army to conduct robust oversight, to include periodic
inspections and reporting elements, in such proposed agreement.
Physical Fitness Centers.--The Committee recognizes the
critical role fitness centers play towards mission readiness
and the quality of life of servicemembers. The Committee urges
the Department of the Army to prioritize planning and design
efforts to advance projects supporting the morale, wellness,
recreation and fitness needs of the force.
Range Operations and Support Facilities.--The Committee
recognizes the critical role of range operations and support
facilities to the mission readiness of our servicemembers and
for incorporating new technology capabilities, including
unmanned aircraft systems, into training programs. The
Committee supports design efforts that enhance range operations
and supporting facilities.
U.S. Army Soldier Performance Readiness Center.--The
Committee supports the construction of a prototype U.S. Army
Soldier Performance Readiness Center (SPRC). The SPRC is
integral to the advancement of the readiness and lethality of
U.S. Army soldiers. The prototype design emphasizes increased
facility throughput and optimized daily human performance
training sessions. The SPRC is considered a crucial component
for successfully implementing the Army's Holistic Health and
Fitness (H2F) program.

Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $4,159,399,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 4,104,499,000

The Committee recommends $4,104,499,000 for the Navy and
Marine Corps in fiscal year 2026, of which $155,100,000 is for
the following project in the following amount:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Location Project Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CA..................................... Naval Air Weapons Station Child Development Center. $8,900,000
China Lake.
CA..................................... Naval Air Station Lemoore F-35 Aircraft Maintenance 17,000,000
Hangar.
FL..................................... Marine Corps Support Communications 45,425,000
Facility Blount Island. Infrastructure.
FL..................................... Naval Air Station Child Development Center. 4,575,000
Jacksonville.
GU..................................... Guam..................... Defense Access Roads..... 50,000,000
VA..................................... Joint Expeditionary Base EOD Expeditionary Mine 12,000,000
Little Creek--Fort Story. Countermeasures Facility.
VA..................................... Naval Station Norfolk.... Power Upgrades (Pier 14). 15,000,000
VA..................................... Naval Weapons Station Shore Power for Virginia 2,200,000
Yorktown. Class Submarines.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Battle Damage Requirements in Shipyard Infrastructure
Optimization Program (SIOP).--As the Navy executes its 20-year,
$21 billion SIOP, it will make infrastructure improvements that
will last generations and support both peacetime and wartime
requirements, to include responding to battle damage. The
Committee directs the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems
Command and Naval Sea Systems Command to provide a joint report
within 180 days of the enactment of this Act (1) summarizing
the ability of existing shipyard infrastructure to support
wartime battle damage requirements, (2) how SIOP is
incorporating any shortfalls in meeting battle damage
requirements into its long-term infrastructure plan at the
naval public shipyards, and (3) any possible benefits of
coordinating these efforts with the U.S. Coast Guard's SIOP.
Biosecurity for Northern Mariana Islands.--The Committee
recognizes that the planned expansion of military
infrastructure and operations in the Northern Mariana Islands
significantly increases the risk of invasive species
introduction, stemming primarily from the anticipated rise in
military-related air and maritime traffic. To address this
critical issue, the Committee directs the Department of the
Navy to submit a report, not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, summarizing the necessity and
feasibility of establishing a biosecurity inspection facility
in the Northern Mariana Islands. Not later than 30 days after
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Navy shall
consult with the Committee on the elements to be evaluated as
part of the report.
Drydocks.--The Committee recognizes the critical strategic
and logistics role public shipyards play in the security of the
nation. The Committee strongly supports efforts to modernize
and improve facilities at the Navy's four public shipyards,
including for the multi-mission dry dock (M2D2), and to address
the complex maintenance needs of the Navy's current and future
active fleet. The current modernization plans for Pearl Harbor
Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF)
include converting Dry Dock 4 to focus on depot-level
maintenance for nuclear submarines. To better understand the
Navy's options for a floating dry dock at Pearl Habor Naval
Shipyard and IMF to address any infrastructure shortfalls, the
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Energy, Installations, and Environment to provide a report
within 180 days of enactment of this Act (1) detailing
potential locations for mooring a floating drydock, (2) a list
of the individual major military construction projects needed
to support a floating drydock, (3) the earliest a floating
drydock could be brought into service given the timelines
associated with the required military construction, and (4) how
a floating drydock would be used to ensure extra capacity for
potential crisis and conflict in the Indo-Pacific.
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Planning and Design.--The
Committee recognizes the need for an additional Ground-Based
Midcourse Defense capability, both in total number of ballistic
missile interceptors and sites from which those interceptors
can engage ballistic missile threats. The Committee directs the
Missile Defense Agency to bring planning and design of an
additional East Coast based Ground-Based Midcourse Defense
interceptor site to 35 percent complete.
Infrastructure Needs at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi.--
The Committee recognizes the unique importance of the Naval
Aviation Training Enterprise and is alarmed at the number of
the poor and failing facilities that the Navy identified in its
November 9, 2023 report to Congress, particularly at Naval Air
Station Corpus Christi. The Committee urges the Navy to address
the needs at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, particularly as
related to construction and other improvements for
unaccompanied and family housing, child and youth development
centers, and quality of life projects for servicemembers and
their families.
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Drinking and Wastewater
Infrastructure.--The Committee is concerned about wastewater
discharges from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam's aging
wastewater facility and the condition of the base's drinking
water systems. To help the Committee fully understand the long-
term infrastructure needs at the base, the Committee directs
the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations,
and Environment, to provide a report within 120 days after
enactment of this Act summarizing: (1) any actions needed to
bring Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Infrastructure's
Installation Development Plan into compliance with Navy
regulations, (2) staffing needs for planning these military
construction projects, and (3) efforts to coordinate long-term
infrastructure needs with major tenants across the joint base.
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.--The Committee notes
the inclusion of funding for the first increment of the F-35
Aircraft Sustainment Center at MCAS Cherry Point in the
Department of Defense's operation plan for military
construction for fiscal year 2025, and supports anticipated
future increments for the project. In addition, the Committee
recognizes the need for additional investments in F-35
flightline utilities modernization at MCAS Cherry Point.
Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR) Infrastructure.--The
Committee is concerned that the MLRs based in the Indo-Pacific
may lack adequate infrastructure to support its personnel,
equipment, and communications requirements. The Committee
directs the Deputy Commandant for Installations and Logistics
to conduct a study and produce a report within 180 days of
enactment of this Act outlining the infrastructure requirements
for MLRs based in the Indo-Pacific region, current shortfalls,
and recommended investments to include specific projects with
estimated costs and construction timelines.
Multi-Mission Drydock #1 Extension.--The Committee
appreciates the inclusion of funding for the Multi-Mission
Drydock#1 Extension project at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in the
Navy's fiscal year 2025 operating plan and supports additional
increments as outlined in the Navy's fiscal year 2025 to 2029
Future Years Defense Plan.
Naval Air Station Whiting Field.--The Committee notes the
need for additional investment at Naval Air Station Whiting
Field, including a hangar to house the Advance Helicopter
Training System and a child development center that meets
current capacity, configuration and service requirements.
Naval Innovation Center.--The Committee supports the
establishment of a Naval Innovation Center at the Naval
Postgraduate School. The NIC is designed to be a facility that
promotes collaboration, hands-on experimentation, advanced
analytics, autonomous technologies, classified work and
immersive demonstrations. The Committee underscores the
importance of the Center for delivering solutions relevant to
both current operations of the fleet and planning for future
Naval operations.
NAWS China Lake Infrastructure.--The Committee appreciates
the Navy prioritizing the rebuilding effort of NAWS China Lake
after the 2019 earthquakes. Despite progress made on recovery,
the Committee notes additional infrastructure challenges for
NAWS China Lake and its largest tenant, Naval Air Warfare
Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) beyond those directly related
to the earthquake. To ensure NAWS China Lake and NAWCWD have
the resources needed to complete its mission, the Committee
supports infrastructure upgrades and planning and design for
military construction projects at NAWS China Lake. The
Committee also directs the Navy to provide quarterly briefings
to the Committee on Appropriations on the current challenges
related to failing infrastructure impacting NAWS China Lake and
resident naval air warfare divisions and steps the Navy is
taking to resolve those challenges.
Naval Aviation Training Enterprise.--The Committee notes
the importance of the Naval Aviation Training Enterprise and
encourages the Navy to prioritize infrastructure projects
within the coastal Naval Aviation Training Enterprise,
especially those that build, remodel, and restore unaccompanied
and family housing, child youth development centers, and
quality of life projects for servicemembers and their families.
P-8 Poseidon Parking Aprons Naval Air Station
Jacksonville.--The Committee is concerned about the degradation
of the P-8 Poseidon parking aprons at Naval Air Station
Jacksonville and its impact on the operational readiness of the
aircraft, and directs the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Energy, Installations, and Environment to provide a report
within 60 days of enactment of this Act detailing the plan to
recapitalize the P-8 parking apron infrastructure at Naval Air
Station Jacksonville.
Port Improvements on Tinian Island.--The Committee notes
that the Department of the Navy has previously acknowledged the
critical nature of the Tinian Port Joint Area Development Plan
in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Energy, Installations, and Environment to provide a report, not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, summarizing (1) the major and minor military construction
projects under consideration by the Department of the Navy to
support port operations on the Island of Tinian, (2) design
options to help maximize U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force
training capabilities on the Island of Tinian, (3) efforts to
coordinate the work and develop the requirements with the
Commonwealth Ports Authority of the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands, and (4) actions the Navy can take to
accelerate these projects.
Submarine Storage, Maintenance, and Operations Facility.--
The Committee notes the inclusion of the Submarine Storage,
Maintenance, and Operations Facility project in the Navy's
fiscal year 2025 to 2029 Future Years Defense Plan and supports
the project.
Trident Refit Facility Expansion program.--The Committee
continues to support the Trident Refit Facility Expansion
program and recognizes the need for continued modernization,
expansion, and hardening of submarine bases in support of the
new Columbia Class submarine.
Unexploded Ordinance on Military Construction in Guam.--The
Committee continues to recognize the significant environmental,
planning, and construction activities on Guam and the impact
unexploded ordinance removal has on these projects. The
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Installations, Energy, and Environment within 180 days of
enactment to provide a report on efforts to address this issue
and to help keep construction projects on-time and on-budget.
United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Headquarters
Needs Assessment.--The Committee is concerned about the
condition of the infrastructure at Camp H. M. Smith, which was
built in 1942 and whose planned major upgrades have been
repeatedly delayed. The Committee directs the Deputy Commandant
for Installations and Logistics to provide a report within 180
days after enactment of this Act summarizing: (1) the Marine
Corps' current assessment of the condition of Marine Corps
Forces, Pacific Headquarters' infrastructure and (2) a plan for
addressing failed or failing infrastructure, to include a
detailed timeline, estimated cost, and specific projects that
must be completed to meet Operational Plan requirements.

Military Construction, Air Force

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $3,347,126,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 3,169,526,000

The Committee recommends $3,169,526,000 for the Air Force
in fiscal year 2026, of which $32,400,000 is for the following
projects in the following amounts:

Air Force Infrastructure Hardening.--The Committee remains
concerned with the hardening of aircraft hangers and shelters
on Pacific bases and directs the Air Force to update the report
required by House Report 118-228 on Air Force Instructure
Hardening. The Committee supports a robust, multifaceted
approach to hardening infrastructure in the Pacific, including
military construction of hardened facilities, as appropriate,
and other procurement options that increase the survivability
of aircraft and infrastructure.
B-21 Raider infrastructure.--The Committee continues to
support the modernization of infrastructure necessary to
appropriately base the next generation B-21 Raider.
Ebbing Air National Guard Base.--The Committee recognizes
the need for continued infrastructure investments at Ebbing Air
National Guard Base to meet the training needs for the
Department of Defense and international partners.
Fire Stations and Runway Upgrades.--The Committee notes
crucial needs across the Air Force's fire stations and runway
upgrades and urges the Air Force to prioritize projects to
address those needs in fiscal year 2026 and in future budget
requests.
Long Range Standoff (LRSO) Weapons Facilities.--The
Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a
plan not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act to
ensure that no fewer than two domestic locations have the
ability to operate and maintain the Long Range Stand Off
missile and its associated warheads when the LRSO weapon
reaches its initial operating capability.
Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD).--The Committee was
encouraged by the Air Force's fiscal year 2025 to 2029 Future
Years Defense Program (FYDP) expectations for military
construction related to the GBSD and supports future funding
outlined in outyear FYDPs. The Committee requests that the
Secretary of the Air Force continue engaging with Congress on
its infrastructure needs related to the GBSD and include
requirements for the program in the Department's base budget.
Sentinel Workforce Lodging and Care.--The Committee has
previously expressed concerns about the Sentinel program's
ability to identify, hire and retain a skilled workforce.
However, the needs of the workforce and affected communities
extend beyond the skillsets and timely hiring of workers. The
Committee is additionally concerned with some of the secondary
requirements associated with bringing in a large workforce for
an extended period of time to communities which may not
currently have the infrastructure to support such an influx.
Therefore, the Committee encourages the program and project
managers to identify industry partners who have demonstrated
experience in lodging and hospitality services for workforce in
remote locations.
Solid Waste Management on Tinian.--The Committee is
concerned that increased waste generation associated with
expanded U.S. Air Force activities on Tinian, Northern Mariana
Islands will soon overburden the island's only landfill. The
Committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force, in
coordination with the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands,
to provide a report no later than 180 days after the enactment
of this Act, describing the development of a comprehensive
solid waste management plan, including the possible development
of a new landfill that can be jointly utilized by both the U.S.
military and the Municipality of Tinian. The plan shall also
include (1) site selection and design, (2) projected
construction and operational costs, (3) permitting and
regulatory compliance, and (4) design options to help maximize
U.S. Air Force training capabilities on the Island of Tinian.
U.S. Space Command Headquarters.--The Committee encourages
the Secretary of Defense to finalize a permanent location for
the United States Space Command headquarters and directs the
Secretary to provide a follow-on implementation plan within 60
days of enactment of this Act detailing the funding required to
expedite the establishment of Space Command Headquarters'
permanent location, including any funds that have been
obligated or expended in all previous fiscal years and funds
needed in fiscal year 2026 and future fiscal years for the
construction, renovation, or improvement of facilities,
including leases, for Space Command Headquarters.
U.S. Space Forces Indo-Pacific Headquarters Study.--The
Committee is concerned that significant infrastructure
shortfalls on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam could negatively
impact Space Force's Indo-Pacific's ability to carry out its
role as the Space Force Component to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command
and as the Joint Force Space Component Commander. To better
assess efforts to support this critical and emerging mission,
the Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
for Energy, Installations, and Environment to provide a report
within 180 days after enactment of this Act summarizing: (1)
the Department's assessment of the current Space Forces Indo-
Pacific's headquarters, to include operational risks related to
any command and control and required Sensitive Compartmented
Information Facility or Special Access Program Facility
workspace shortfalls, (2) the plan for addressing short-term
facility requirements in the next five years, to include a
detailed timeline, estimated cost, and specific projects that
must be completed to meet near-term operational requirements,
to include ensuring capacity and resiliency throughout crisis
or conflict, and (3) the long-term plan for fully meeting
operational capability facility requirements for Space Forces
Indo-Pacific.
Weapons Storage Areas.--The Committee urges the Secretary
of the Air Force to make appropriate investments, particularly
with minor military construction funding, in securing existing
weapons storage areas alongside long-term investments in
weapons generation facilities. Investments in existing
facilities is required to enhance efficiency and decrease
operational risk at the entry points to existing weapons
storage areas.

Military Construction, Defense-Wide

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $3,881,383,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 3,963,383,000

The Committee recommends $3,963,383,000 for Military
Construction, Defense-Wide, in fiscal year 2026, of which
$82,000,000 is for the following projects in the following
amounts:

The Committee recommendation also includes not less than
the fiscal year 2025 enacted level for the pilot program for
minor military construction projects as established by the
Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program
(ERCIP).--The Committee directs not less than the fiscal year
2025 enacted level for ERCIP. The Committee supports the
Department's efforts to improve energy security, contribute to
mission assurance, save energy, and reduce energy costs through
ERCIP. The Committee encourages the Department to continue
using all available tools and authorities to ensure the timely
execution of ERCIP projects. Additionally, as the Department
works to achieve base energy independence, the Committee
encourages the Department to leverage new energy technologies.
Ramey Unit School Replacement.--The Committee notes the
inclusion of funding for the Ramey Unit School Replacement
project in the Defense-Wide 2025 to 2029 Future Years Defense
Plan and supports the use of funds for the project.
Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) Headquarters
Needs Assessment.--The Committee is aware that SOCPAC has
personnel spread across Hawaii due to facility space
limitations at its primary headquarters at Camp H. M. Smith. To
better assess possible military construction projects that
could consolidate these locations, the Committee directs U.S.
Special Operations Command to provide a report within 180 days
after enactment of this Act summarizing: (1) the operational
impacts of having personnel spread across Hawaii, (2) SOCPAC's
total square foot and operational requirements for operations
on Oahu, and (3) construction options for overcoming facility
shortfalls.
USSOCOM Headquarters.--The Committee is concerned that the
United States Special Operation Command (USSOCOM) Headquarters
is experiencing significant age-related infrastructure
shortfalls that are negatively impacting mission assurance and
the functional posture of the command. The Committee is aware
that the Air Force is coordinating with USSOCOM and
stakeholders to undertake an initial planning charette, and the
Committee encourages the continued advancement of planning
towards a new headquarters facility.
USSOCOM Infrastructure.--The Committee notes the vital role
in addressing rapidly evolving global threats and executing
high-priority missions around the world. As operational demands
on Special Operations Forces continue to grow, so too does the
need for modern, resilient infrastructure to support training,
readiness, and force protection. The Committee continues to
support funding to replace outdated facilities, expand
capacity, and ensure the specialized environments required for
mission-specific preparation.

Military Construction, Army National Guard

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $398,489,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 358,489,000

The Committee recommends $358,489,000 for the Army National
Guard in fiscal year 2026.
42nd Infantry Division Armory Headquarters.--The Committee
notes the critical need for the planned renovation and
modernization of the 42nd Infantry Division Headquarters in
Troy, New York and understands that the State of New York will
fully fund the design and contribute $30,000,000 for the cost
of the project. The Committee urges the Secretary of the Army
to develop plans to provide the federal cost share for this
vital project and keep the Committee informed about progress on
the project.
Camp Shelby.--The Committee recognizes the role of Camp
Shelby as a mobilization force generation installation and
notes the need for additional investment to support rail center
operations and handling of classified information.
Lodging Shortfalls.--The Committee continues to be
concerned about lodging shortfalls at Army National Guard
training centers that support training and readiness activities
as well as support training for outside agencies.The Committee
encourages the Army National Guard to allocate appropriate
funding towards lodging requirements, particularly for
installations with new training and readiness requirements.
Medical Readiness.--The Committee notes the key role the
Army National Guard plays in medical readiness and supports the
use of funds provided for projects that support the Guard's
medical readiness mission.
Naval Weapons System Training Facility (NWSTF).--The
Committee notes the need for a multiple-purpose machine gun
range for use by the Army National Guard that meets the
requirements of National Guard Regulation 415-5 at NWSTF
Boardman.

Military Construction, Air National Guard

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $290,492,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 210,492,000

The Committee recommends $210,492,000 for the Air National
Guard (ANG) in fiscal year 2026.
The Committee supports the use of funding provided under
this heading for construction projects, including planning and
design, that enhance aircraft maintenance capabilities, mission
effectiveness, mission resilience, and military readiness. The
Committee further notes the need for additional investments in
facilities with runways at the end of their service life and
encourages ANG to prioritize projects in fiscal year 2026 and
future budget requests at facilities where the runway's service
lifespan expires in the next four years.
125th Fighter Wing F-35 Beddown.--The Committee notes
support for projects required to support the F-35 beddown at
Jacksonville International Airport, including facilities and
infrastructure related to the safe storing and maintenance of
munitions required for the F-35 mission of the 125th Fighter
Wing.
Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base.--The Committee
notes the need for an adequately sized, properly configured,
environmentally safe, and energy efficient academic training
center facility for the purpose of conducting flight simulator
training in support of the 173d Fighter Wing F-35 flight
training mission.

Military Construction, Army Reserve

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $295,032,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 305,032,000

The Committee recommends $305,032,000 for the Army Reserve
in fiscal year 2026, of which $50,000,000 is for the following
projects in the following amounts:

Patrick Space Force Base Clear Water Rinse System.--The
Committee notes the inclusion of a clear water rinse system for
Patrick Space Force Base on the fiscal year 2025 ``Buy List''
for the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account (NGREA)
and supports the build out of the allied support infrastructure
necessary to operationalize the system.

Military Construction, Navy Reserve

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $29,829,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 79,829,000

The Committee recommends $79,829,000 for the Navy Reserve
in fiscal year 2026, of which $50,000,000 is for the following
projects in the following amounts:

Military Construction, Air Force Reserve

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $74,663,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 37,863,000

The Committee recommends $37,863,000 for the Air Force
Reserve in fiscal year 2026, of which $3,200,000 is for the
following projects in the following amounts:

North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $293,494,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 293,434,000

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment
Program (NSIP) consists of annual contributions by North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries to finance
the costs of construction needed to support the roles of the
major NATO commands.

Department of Defense Base Closure Account

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $489,174,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 489,174,000

The Committee recommends $489,174,000 for the Base Closure
account.
The Committee continues to be concerned about the extent of
per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) contamination at
closed U.S. military installations and the Committee
recommendation includes not less than $50,000,000 above the
fiscal year 2026 budget request for PFAS remediation. The
Committee continues to recognize the Navy's efforts towards the
demolition and removal of non-historically designated buildings
and structures under Navy control where the sampling or
remediation of radiologically contaminated materials have been
the subject of substantiated allegations of fraud.
Zeolite for PFAS Remediation.--The Committee recognizes
that material zeolite is a promising tool for PFAS mitigation.
As the Department of Defense continues to address PFAS
contamination on military installations and other affected
areas, the Committee urges the Services to consider the
utilization of natural zeolite material in future mitigation
and cleanup efforts.

Family Housing Overview

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $2,013,854,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 2,043,622,000

Family housing construction accounts provide funds for new
construction, construction improvements, the Federal
government's costs for family housing privatization projects,
and planning and design. The operation and maintenance accounts
provide funds to pay for maintenance and repair, furnishings,
management, services, utilities, leasing, interest, mortgage
insurance, and miscellaneous expenses.
Housing Oversight.--The Committee provides an additional
$29,768,000 above the fiscal year 2025 enacted level to expand
oversight of the entire housing portfolio, including
government-owned and controlled family housing and privatized
family and unaccompanied housing. The Committee requests an
expenditure plan detailing the planned use of these funds
within 30 days of enactment of this Act, including the
specific, additional oversight activities these funds above the
budget request will allow.
The Committee directs the Services to provide a briefing no
later than 120 days after enactment of this Act detailing steps
being taken to improve the conditions of each Service's
privatized housing portfolio and an update on the efforts to
expeditiously implement the recommendations issued in GAO's
report, ``DOD Can Further Strengthen Oversight of Its
Privatized Housing Program'' (GAO-23-105377), including the
current backlog of maintenance requests; a summary of all MHPI
tenant complaints; and an updated performance review of each
MHPI management company.
Family Housing and CDC Heating and Air Conditioning.--The
Committee recognizes the Services' efforts to improve energy
efficiency through scheduled seasonal deactivation of air
conditioning and heating systems at its facilities. Certain
military installations, deactivate these systems in family
housing units and child development centers (CDC). The
Committee encourages the Department to examine its energy
conservation programs, including where family housing units and
CDCs may be excluded from air conditioning and heating
restrictions.

Family Housing Construction, Army

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $276,647,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 276,647,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Army

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $485,611,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 495,369,000

Family Housing Construction, Navy and Marine Corps

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $245,742,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 245,742,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Navy and Marine Corps

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $387,217,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 397,217,000

Family Housing Construction, Air Force

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $221,549,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 221,549,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Air Force

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $336,250,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 346,250,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $52,156,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 52,156,000

Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $8,195,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 8,195,000

Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $497,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 497,000

Administrative Provisions

The bill includes a total of 32 administrative provisions,
28 of which were effective in fiscal year 2025.
Section 101. Prohibits the use of funds for payments under
a cost-plus-a-fixed-fee contract for construction where cost
estimates exceed $25,000. An exception for Alaska is provided.
Section 102. Permits the use of construction funds for the
hire of passenger motor vehicles.
Section 103. Permits funds to be expended on the
construction of defense access roads under certain
circumstances.
Section 104. Prohibits construction of new bases in the
United States without a specific appropriation.
Section 105. Limits the use of funds for the purchase of
land or land easements that exceed 100 percent of value except
under certain conditions.
Section 106. Prohibits the use of funds to acquire land,
prepare sites, or install utilities for family housing except
housing for which funds have been appropriated.
Section 107. Limits the use of minor construction funds to
relocate any activity from one installation to another without
prior notification.
Section 108. Prohibits the procurement of steel unless
American producers, fabricators, and manufacturers have been
allowed to compete.
Section 109. Prohibits the use of funds to pay real
property taxes in foreign nations.
Section 110. Prohibits the use of funds to initiate a new
installation overseas without prior notification.
Section 111. Establishes a preference for United States
architectural and engineering services where the services are
in Japan, NATO member countries, or countries bordering the
Arabian Sea.
Section 112. Establishes a preference for United States
contractors for military construction in the United States
territories and possessions in the Pacific and on Kwajalein
Atoll, or countries bordering the Arabian Gulf, except bids by
Marshallese contractors for military construction on Kwajalein
Atoll.
Section 113. Requires the Secretary of Defense to give
prior notice to Congress of military exercises where
construction costs exceed $100,000.
Section 114. Allows funds appropriated in prior years to be
used for new projects authorized during the current session of
Congress.
Section 115. Allows the use of expired or lapsed funds to
pay the cost of associated supervision, inspection, overhead,
engineering and design on those projects and on subsequent
claims.
Section 116. Provides that funds for military construction
projects are available until the end of the fourth fiscal year
following the fiscal year in which funds are appropriated,
subject to certain conditions.
Section 117. Allows for the transfer of funds from Family
Housing Construction accounts to the Department of Defense
Family Housing Improvement Fund and funds from Military
Construction accounts to the Department of Defense Military
Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund.
Section 118. Provides transfer authority to the Homeowners
Assistance Program.
Section 119. Requires that funds in this title be the sole
source of all operation and maintenance for flag and general
officer quarter houses and limits the repair on these quarters
to $20,000 per unit annually without notification.
Section 120. Makes funds in the Ford Island Improvement
Fund available until expended.
Section 121. Allows the transfer of expired funds to the
``Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Construction, Defense''
account.
Section 122. Allows the transfer of funds in accordance
with reprogramming guidelines.
Section 123. Prohibits the use of funds for projects at
Arlington National Cemetery.
Section 124. Provides funds for certain projects identified
in the respective military department's unfunded priority and
cost to complete list.
Section 125. Directs all amounts appropriated to Military
Construction (all accounts) be immediately available and
allotted for the full scope of the authorized project.
Section 126. Extends the eligibility of unobligated funding
for fiscal year 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 projects that have
not lapsed.
Section 127. Defines the congressional defense committees.
Section 128. Provides additional funds for planning and
design for construction improvements to laboratory facilities.
Section 129. Provides funds for planning and design for
child development centers.
Section 130. Provides funds for planning and design for
barracks.
Section 131. Provides funds for unspecified minor
construction for demolition.
Section 132. Prohibits funds from being used to carry out
the closure or realignment of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.

TITLE II

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025.................... $367,728,616,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026......... 435,333,099,000

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides health
care for 9,000,000 veteran enrollees; disability compensation
benefits to an estimated 6,094,440 veterans and 562,448
survivors; pension benefits for an estimated 136,678 veterans
and 112,179 survivors; life insurance for more than 5,600,000
veterans, servicemembers and their families; educational
assistance for nearly 820,000 students; and interment of more
than 140,000 veterans and eligible family members in national
cemeteries. To serve adequately the nation's veterans, VA
employs more than 450,000 staff, making it one of the largest
Federal agencies in terms of employment.
Congressional Oversight of VA's Actions on Abortion.--The
bill prohibits funding to implement, administer, or otherwise
carry out the actions in the interim final rule published
September 9, 2022. The interim final rule clearly violated
Section 106 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-
585; Title 38 U.S.C. 1710 note).
Contract Cancellations.--The Committee is concerned that
the Department cancelled many contracts and purported to
reprogram funding originally dedicated to these contracts
without proper analysis on the impacts to the veteran
community, or without transparency about which contracts were
ended, or proper notification to Congress. If the Department
seeks to reprogram previously appropriated funding,
Congressional approval is required by law. The Committee
directs the Department to provide a report within 60 days of
enactment of this Act with a list of the all cancelled
contracts since January 2025, the original purpose, recipient,
location, and dollar value of each contract, the date to which
the contract was originally entered into by the recipient and
the Department, and a detailed analysis of the decision-making
process that led to the cancellations.
Further, if funds were reprogrammed from cancelled
contracts, the report should list the accounts and purpose for
which the funds were reprogrammed.
Foreign Born Veterans.--The Committee supports VA's role in
the Immigrant Military Members and Veterans Initiative and
urges VA to take steps to ensure non-citizen veterans are aware
of their options to naturalize as U.S. citizens and provide
administrative guidance and assistance with relevant
applications and paperwork. The Department is encouraged to
continue coordination with the Department of Homeland Security
to develop methods that allow the Department to maintain
contact with immigrant and non-citizen veterans and ensure that
they can access immigration related assistance and other VA
assistance and benefits to which they are entitled.
Oversight on Delays in Obtaining DD214s from National
Archives.--The Committee is concerned about the prolonged
delays veterans face in obtaining their DD214 forms from the
National Archives. DD214 is a critical document for veterans,
required for accessing benefits, employment opportunities, and
other essential services. However, the current processing times
for obtaining this document often exceed several months,
causing unnecessary hardship and delays in veterans receiving
the benefits and services they are entitled to. The Committee
directs the Department to work closely with the National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to identify the root
causes of these delays, improve the process, and ensure that
veterans receive their DD214s in a timely manner. The Committee
requests a brief within 90 days of enactment, identifying
reasons for the delays in processing DD214 requests, steps
being taken to streamline the request and delivery process,
including any improvements to digital record access and
electronic submission, and efforts to enhance communication
with veterans during the waiting period to keep them informed
of the status of their request.
Supporting Pay Transparency for VA Police Officers.--The
Secretary shall submit a report within 180 days of enactment of
this act to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
and Committee on Veterans Affairs in the House and Senate on
the compensation paid to Department police officers inclusive
of their salaries, availability pay under section 5545a of
title 5, bonuses to recruit or retain Department police
officers, and any additional compensation paid to Department
police officers, including the Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of
Police, Supervisory Police Officer, Criminal Investigator,
Police Detective, Police Officer, Training Officer, Physical
Security Specialist, Security Specialist Assistant, Dispatcher,
and Administrative Officer.
Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Protections for VA
Beneficiaries and Employees.--The Committee directs the
Secretary to implement the recommendations laid out in GAO
Report 20-387.
Veterans First Contracting Program.--The Committee
recognizes the tremendous value of the Veterans First
Contracting Program in assisting in the expansion and growth of
service-disabled veteran and veteran-owned small businesses.
The Committee encourages VA to continue to expand and make
mandatory the training of contracting officers in the
requirements of the Veterans First Contracting Program, with
particular attention being paid to conducting the market
research necessary to ensure that service-disabled veteran and
veteran-owned small businesses, particularly women and minority
veteran-led small businesses, are awarded VA contracts when
appropriate.
Veterans in the Pacific.--The Committee directs the
Department to continue efforts to improve and expand access to
benefits, mental health, preventative and wellness programs,
and telehealth, among other programs. The Committee requests a
report not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act on
the progress made in the prior fiscal year on improving access
to such benefits and services.

Veterans Benefits Administration

COMPENSATION AND PENSIONS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025..................... $177,020,200,000
Fiscal year 2026 advance appropriation (enacted).... 227,240,071,000
Committee 2027 advance appropriation recommendation. 241,947,603,000

This appropriation provides funds for service-connected
compensation payments to an estimated 6,094,446 veterans and
562,448 survivors in fiscal year 2026. In addition, pension
payments will be funded for an estimated 150,678 veterans and
112,179 survivors.
The appropriation includes authority to transfer funding
not to exceed $22,816,000 in fiscal year 2026 to General
Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and
Information Technology Systems. These funds are for the
administrative expenses of implementing cost-saving provisions
required by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L.
101-508), the Veterans' Benefits Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-568),
and the Veterans' Benefits Improvements Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-
446). The bill also continues to include language permitting
this appropriation to reimburse such sums as may be earned to
the Medical Care Collections Fund to help defray the operating
expenses of individual medical facilities for nursing home care
provided to pensioners.
The Committee recommendation includes $227,240,071,000 for
fiscal year 2026. For fiscal year 2027, the Committee
recommendation includes an advance appropriation of
$241,947,603,000.
Customer Experience.--The Committee emphasizes the
importance of implementing proper customer experience
standards. Continued implementation of these standards includes
providing significant services directly to the public,
identifying and surveying target customers, establishing
effective experience standards and tracking internal
performance against those standards. The Committee commends
current efforts to implement improved customer experience among
agencies and directs all agencies funded by this Act to
continue developing standards to improve customer experience
and incorporate the standards into the performance plans
required under 31 U.S.C. 1115.
Ensuring VBA Access for Veterans.--The Committee is
concerned about closure of VBA offices in rural areas. Physical
VBA offices are crucial in rural areas as veterans have more
limited broadband access and transportation options. The
Committee directs VA to report VBA offices at risk of closure
180 days prior to VBA realignment, including analysis used as
justification of closure, necessary resources needed to prevent
closure and the projected realignment of VBA staffers to nearby
facilities to impacted congressional districts, as well as VA's
corresponding efforts to ensure continued services for impacted
veterans in the area.
Signing of Veteran's Death Certificates.--The Committee is
concerned that the Veterans Administration is not signing death
certificates of all veterans who die of natural causes and who
have as their primary doctor a VA physician in a timely
fashion. The Committee directs the Department to work in
consultation with stakeholders to prepare a report and submit
it to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within
90 days of enactment of this Act on the average time the
Department takes to sign a death certificate for a veterans
family upon notice of their passing, the average number of
delays lasting longer than 72-hours over the last 5 years, the
total number of refusals by VA to sign death certificates and
the reasoning behind any denial over the last 5 years, and
solutions to ensure that a speedy signature is done and
received by the family of our passed veterans.
Veterans Readiness & Employment Program (VR&E) Wait
Times.--The Committee is deeply concerned about staff shortages
and months-long wait times for the VR&E program. The Committee
requests the Department brief both the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment of
this Act on the 15 Regional Offices with the longest VR&E wait
times, outlining steps that have been taken to date to reduce
wait times, and providing policy recommendations to address the
problem.

READJUSTMENT BENEFITS

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $13,317,066,000
Fiscal year 2026 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 20,372,030,000
Committee 2027 advance appropriation recommendation... 20,057,841,000

This appropriation finances the education and training of
veterans and servicemembers through the Post-9/11 GI Bill and
the All-Volunteer Force Educational Assistance Program. In
addition, certain disabled veterans are provided with
vocational rehabilitation, specially adapted housing grants,
and grants for automobiles with approved adaptive equipment.
This account also finances educational assistance allowances
for eligible dependents of veterans who died from service-
connected causes or have a total and permanent service-
connected disability, as well as dependents of servicemembers
who were captured or are missing in action.
The Committee recommendation includes an advance
appropriation of $20,057,841,000 for fiscal year 2027.
Biomanufacturing Training.--The Committee encourages the
Department to engage with an institution of higher education
with expertise in and simulated Current Good Manufacturing
Practice facilities for the provision of biomanufacturing
training to consider the establishment of a program to provide
targeted, hands-on, industrial biomanufacturing training for
veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses.
Financial Hardship and Bankruptcy.--The Committee continues
to support VA programs that combat the root causes of veteran
and dependent financial hardship, which is a known contributory
factor to negative outcomes such as mental health issues,
substance use disorder, and suicide. The Committee continues to
be concerned by an inequity in current bankruptcy law that
results in the inclusion of VA and DoD disability benefits in
the calculation of a debtor's disposable income, while at the
same time excluding Social Security disability benefits for
non-veterans.
GI Bill Comparison Tool.--The Committee emphasizes the
importance of providing veterans with the necessary information
to make informed decisions when selecting institutions of
higher education. The Committee urges the Department to
continue to monitor and assess the effectiveness of the GI
comparison tool, including usage metrics, the frequency that
caution flags are checked and updated, and technical
performance.
Post 9/11 GI Bill Books & Supplies Stipend.--The Committee
acknowledges the increasing need for technology for education
as coursework and class materials continue to shift from
physical to virtual. Additionally, the Committee recognizes
that the books and supply stipend has not been adjusted for
inflation in 15 years. The Committee encourages the Secretary
to evaluate the need to increase the books and supplies stipend
from the current rate of $1,000 per year to a higher inflation
adjusted level.
Skills and Certifications.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of expanding job opportunities for veterans after
their discharge and encourages the Department to work with
other Federal agencies and State licensing bureaus, as
appropriate, to evaluate the transferability of DoD skills and
certifications, including mechanical skills and certifications,
to state certifications to aid in transition to civilian
employment.
Technology for Student Veterans.--The Committee understands
the importance of remote learning technologies, such as
computers and routers for internet access, were widely used so
students could continue their studies. House Report 118-122
directed a report within 180 days of enactment of this Act, on
the cost, feasibility, and advisability of ensuring student
veterans have access to the technologies needed to be
successful in school. The Committee is looking forward to
receiving this report.
Transition Coordination.--The Committee encourages the
Department in consultation with the Departments of Defense and
Labor, to coordinate efforts and resources to ensure veterans
have a successful transition to civilian life. This includes
sharing information on community resources, including
nonprofits and Veterans Service Organizations, that are
available to veterans and their families. The Committee also
urges the Department to explore options for veterans to access
hands-on job placement services that connect them directly with
employers, including those offered through successful state and
local programs.
Veteran Small Business Education.--The Committee recognizes
the importance of supporting veterans pursuing entrepreneurship
opportunities, and supports educating veterans on business
ownership, especially on how digital tools, including
artificial intelligence-enabled business software or cloud
computing service that facilitate business operations,
processing, payment, or tracking of payroll expenses, human
resources, or sales and billing functions can provide
efficiencies and productivity enhancements to improve their
business success rate by saving time and money. As such, the
Committee encourages the Department, in consultation with the
Small Business Administration, to educate veterans on the
growing digital tools ecosystem to better prepare veterans for
an increasingly digital business environment.
Veteran Transition Assistance Grant Program (VTAG).--The
Committee continues to support VSTAGP program and its goal of
providing comprehensive employment-based resources, mentorship,
and professional development to recently separated members of
the Armed Forces and their spouses. The Committee encourages
the Department to consider small and mid-sized non-profits,
that have a strong professional network in their region, when
reviewing applicants.
Dependent Education Assistance.--The Committee acknowledges
the work and dedication of the Veterans Affairs Survivors and
Dependents Educational Assistance (DEA) program. The Committee
also recognizes that children of deceased or disabled veterans
may require additional tutoring or educational training to
prepare for college due to several unique challenges they face.
The Committee encourages the Department to explore utilizing
DEA funding to assist K-12 students in addressing these
challenges to better tailor their services to meet the specific
needs of children of deceased or disabled veterans, and
ensuring these students their academic success and college
readiness. The Department shall brief the Committee 120 days
following enactment of this Act on how it could address
assisting K-12 students.

VETERANS INSURANCE AND INDEMNITIES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $147,820,000
Fiscal year 2026 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 131,518,000
Committee 2027 advance appropriation recommendation... 97,893,000

The Veterans Insurance and Indemnities appropriation is
made up of the former appropriations for military and naval
insurance, applicable to World War I veterans; national service
life insurance (NSLI), applicable to certain World War II
veterans; servicemember's indemnities, applicable to Korean
Conflict veterans; and veterans mortgage life insurance,
applicable to individuals who have received a grant for
specially adapted housing.
For fiscal year 2027, the Committee recommendation includes
an advance appropriation of $97,893,000.

VETERANS HOUSING BENEFIT PROGRAM FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on
direct loans for Administrative
Program Account specially adapted Expenses
housing loans
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2025.......................... - - - ($500,000) $316,742,419
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............... - - - (500,000) 266,736,892
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The purpose of the home loan guaranty program is to
facilitate the extension of mortgage credit on favorable terms
by private lenders to eligible veterans. This appropriation
provides for all costs, with the exception of the Native
American Veterans Housing Loan Program, of the Department's
direct and guaranteed loans programs.
The Committee recommendation includes $266,736,892 for
fiscal year 2026 for administrative expenses to carry out the
Veterans Housing Loan Program.
VA Home Loan Program.--The Committee has been made aware of
the Department's decision to abolish the ``Participation Rule''
which required listing agents to make an offer of compensation
to buyer brokers and could potentially disadvantage veterans
utilizing the home loan under current rules. The Committee
urges the Department to study its current policy of prohibiting
borrowers from paying fees or commissions to a real estate
agent and determine whether this policy negatively impacts
veterans when buying a home. The Department is directed to
report these findings to the Committee with 120 days of
enactment of this Act.

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on Administrative
Program Account direct loans Expenses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2025.......................... $78,337 ($2,026,000) $460,698
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............... 45,428 (1,394,442) 507,254
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This appropriation covers the subsidy cost of direct loans
for vocational rehabilitation of eligible veterans and includes
administrative expenses necessary to carry out the direct loan
program. Loans of up to $1,530 (based on indexed chapter 31
subsistence allowance rate) are available to service-connected
disabled veterans enrolled in vocational rehabilitation
programs when the veteran is temporarily in need of additional
assistance.
The Committee recommendation includes $45,428 for fiscal
year 2026 for administrative expenses to carry out the
Vocational Rehabilitation Direct Loan program.

NATIVE AMERICAN VETERAN HOUSING LOAN PROGRAM ACCOUNT

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $5,845,241
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 11,872,500

The Native American Veteran Housing Loan Program, as
authorized by title 38 United States Code, chapter 37,
subchapter V, provides the Secretary authority to make direct
housing loans to Native American veterans for the purpose of
purchasing, constructing, or improving dwellings on trust
lands, including Hawaiian Home Lands. These loans are available
to purchase, construct, or improve homes to be occupied as
veterans' residences.
The Committee recommendation includes $11,872,500 for
fiscal year 2026, including $6,865,235 for the cost of direct
loans providing $75,000,000 in loan authority for the principal
amount of direct loans pursuant to subchapter V of chapter 37
of title 38, United States Code and $5,007,265 for
administrative expenses for the Native American Veteran Housing
Loan Program.

GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES, VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025..................... $3,899,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026.......... 3,876,425,000

The General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits
Administration (VBA) account provides funding for VBA to
administer entitlement programs such as service-connected
disability compensation, education benefits, and vocational
rehabilitation services.
The Committee recommendation includes $3,876,425,000 for
fiscal year 2026 for General Operating Expenses, VBA. These
resources will improve VBA's ability to address compensation
and benefit claims. The bill makes available through September
30, 2027, up to ten percent of these funds.
Benefits Usage.--The Committee encourages the Department to
include veteran benefit usage into its annual suicide
prevention report, including usage of disability compensation,
education and employment, home loan and foreclosure assistance
benefits, as well as participation in housing and food security
programs. Additional data may enable a better understanding of
the correlation between benefit use and suicide and allow for
more effective programs to assist veterans.
Compensation and Pension Exams.--The Committee understands
the important role of contractors in providing medical
disability exams. These exams are necessary for Veterans to
receive the benefits that they have earned. The Committee urges
the Department to apply standard timeliness and quality
performance metrics across contract providers and VHA providers
to ensure quality exams for all Veterans. Further, VA is
directed to report to the Committee on the impact on VHA
healthcare wait times before committing additional VHA
providers to the delivery of medical disability exams.
Digitizing Veteran Records.--The Committee commends the
efforts of VBA, in partnership with the National Archives and
Records Administration, to address the backlog of veterans'
records requests by creating digital copies of records that
currently exist only in hardcopy form at the National Personnel
Records Center (NPRC). The Committee encourages VBA to continue
its efforts to create digital copies of veterans' records
housed at NPRC. The Committee requests the Department update
the analyses required by House Report 117-391 on resources
needed to digitize all hard copy-only veteran records at NPRC
not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act.
Equitable Relief.--The Committee understands the Department
is working to implement new systems and protocols to eliminate
instances of administrative error. However, as the Department
enacts system-wide reforms, ending equitable relief for
veterans who were deemed eligible for benefits in error would
place an unfair burden on veterans and their families. The
Secretary is encouraged to continue to grant or extend
equitable relief to eligible veterans initially deemed eligible
in instances of administrative error. Not later than 120 days
after the enactment of this Act, the Secretary is directed to
submit a report containing a statement as to the disposition of
each case recommended to the Secretary for equitable relief
under section 503 of title 38, United States Code during the
preceding calendar year to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations.
Information for Toxic-Exposed Veterans.--The Committee
encourages VA to ensure resources and materials provided by VA
to toxic-exposed veterans be made available in the most
commonly spoken languages in the United States, as required by
the Veterans and Family Information Act (P.L. 117-62).
Mileage Reimbursements Kiosks.--The Committee is concerned
with the removal of mileage reimbursement kiosks and requests
the Department to report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations on the recent removal of mileage reimbursement
kiosks from several VA facilities, which have been replaced by
the online Beneficiary Travel Self Service System. The
Committee urges the Department to reassess removing kiosks.
Military Sexual Trauma (MST).--The Committee is frustrated
by the findings of the August 2021 OIG Report titled
``Improvements Still Needed in Processing Military Sexual
Trauma Claims'' which found VBA has failed to ensure all claims
processors handling MST-related claims have received
specialized MST training. The Committee urges VBA to prioritize
specialized MST training for claims processors, and to continue
to involve MST survivors in the development of specialized
training.
Over-The-Counter-Hearing Aids.--The Committee notes that
over 2.7 million veterans are compensated for hearing loss and
tinnitus, and noise exposure during military service being a
major factor. The Committee encourages VA to reassess its
current model for hearing aids. The lower cost of over the
counter (OTC) hearing aids has the potential to reduce
financial strain on VA's budget, freeing up resources to invest
in other critical areas of veteran care and support.
Outreach to Veterans.--The Committee supports further
outreach efforts via States and Indian Tribes to carry out
programs that improve outreach and assistance to veterans and
associated parties to ensure individuals are fully informed
about, and assisted in applying for, any veterans and veterans-
related benefits and programs. Of the funds provided under this
heading, $4,000,000 may be used for the purposes authorized
under 38 U.S.C. 6307.

Veterans Health Administration (VHA)

The Department operates the largest integrated medical care
delivery system in the United States, providing care at nearly
1,300 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and
more than 1,100 outpatient sites to more than 9,000,000
veterans enrolled in VA health care program.
Funding for veterans' health care, VA research, and the
Veterans Health Administration are provided through five
discretionary accounts and the mandatory Cost of War Toxic
Exposure Fund. The discretionary accounts are Medical Services,
Medical Community Care, Medical Support and Compliance, Medical
Facilities, and Medical and Prosthetic Research.
For fiscal year 2026, the Budget requested a total of
$134,439,000,000 for veterans' medical care, including funding
for medical care for the treatment of conditions related to
toxic exposures.
In fiscal year 2026, VA will collect an estimated
$4,580,000,000 in the Medical Care Collections Fund.
The Committee provides $943,000,000 for Medical and
Prosthetic Research for fiscal year 2026, equal to the
requested level.
The Committee provides $122,258,000,000 in advance for
fiscal year 2027. The discretionary advance appropriations is
in conjunction with the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) mandatory
funding of $52,676,000,000 in 2026.
CoPay Costs.--As part of the efforts to ensure that
services delivered by the Veterans Health Administration remain
affordable to veterans, the Department is directed to provide
the Committee an update on trends in the number of veterans
that are subject to copays under the Veterans Health
Administration over the last two years, the annual average
amount of copays paid by veterans subject to a copay for
healthcare services, and the top ten services subject to a
copay within 90 days of enactment of this Act.
Dispute Resolution.--The Committee urges VA to ensure that
veterans are advised of their rights to contest VA billing
charges and determinations and of the step-by-step process for
disputes. VA should ensure this information is available online
and in publicly accessible areas at each VA medical center, and
that it is made available in several commonly spoken languages.
Essential Medical Devices.--The United States'
manufacturing capacity for essential medical devices is at
serious risk due to organized efforts by Chinese manufacturers
to enter the U.S. market in response to inflationary pressures
faced by U.S.-based manufacturers, distributors, and providers.
The current shift toward purchasing Chinese-made medical
devices is drastic and occurring at a pace that will leave U.S.
hospitals dependent on Chinese supplied devices. The Committee
urges VA to purchase essential medical devices, like needles
and syringes, from U.S. manufacturers or allied trading
partners. The Committee directs the Department to submit a
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not
later than 90 days after enactment of this Act on the
percentage of Chinese made devices for the 96 device medical
countermeasures published by the Food and Drug Administration
in 2020. The report should also include specific
recommendations on how the Department can reduce its dependency
on Chinese medical devices, increase the domestic supply chain,
while safeguarding against shortages.
In-Vitro Diagnostic Testing for Veterans.--The Committee
recognizes that in-vitro diagnostics, tools used in health care
to detect diseases, infections, and other medical conditions by
analyzing specimens taken from the body, provide valuable
information to health care providers for accurate diagnosis,
treatment planning, and monitoring of patients' health.
Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and United States-
Affiliated Pacific Islander (NHPIUSAPI) Veterans Health.--The
Committee continues to support VA Center for NHPIUSAPIs. The
Committee encourages the Department to partner with
universities in the Pacific region focusing on issues unique to
the NHPISAPI community.
Timeliness of Care at VA Facilities.--The Committee
recognizes the critical need for quality and timely health care
for veterans. The Committee directs the Secretary to submit a
detailed report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations within 180 days of the enactment of this Act
regarding the average waiting periods experienced by veterans
seeking health care services through VA hospitals. This report
should encompass data collected from various VA healthcare
facilities nationwide, including to the extent possible non-VHA
operated clinics, analyzing both the duration veterans wait
from initial contact to their first appointment and any
subsequent waits for further medical treatments. The data
presented in this report should be broken out by state to
facilitate a clear understanding of regional disparities and
target improvements effectively.
Equitable Care for Veterans.--As the Veterans Health
Administration considers policies that would disregard state
anesthesia licensure and practice standards, the Committee
requests the Under Secretary of Health submit to the Committee
within 180 days of enactment a report on how the Under
Secretary intends to ensure that veterans who receive hospital
care and medical services furnished by the Department of
Veterans Affairs, particularly veterans who are eligible for
such care and services under the PACT Act (Public Law 117-168)
and the amendments made by that Act, will not receive a lower
standard of care than individuals who receive care in non-
Department facilities located in the same state or
jurisdiction.

MEDICAL SERVICES

Fiscal year 2025 enacted level...................... $71,000,000,000
Fiscal year 2026 advance appropriation (enacted).... 75,039,000,000
Committee 2027 advance appropriation recommendation. 59,858,000,000

The bill includes $59,858,000,000 for advance fiscal year
2027 funding for Medical Services. The Committee has included
bill language to make $2,000,000,000 of the Medical Services
advance appropriation for fiscal year 2026 available through
September 30, 2027.
Allocation of Health Funding.--The Committee continues to
request a report each year, not later than 30 days after the
Department allocates the medical services appropriation to the
VISNs, that identifies: (1) the amount of general purpose
funding that is allocated to each VISN; (2) the amount of
funding that is retained by central headquarters for specific
purposes, with amounts identified for each purpose; and (3) the
amount of funding that is retained by each VISN before
allocating it to the medical centers, identifying separately
the amounts retained for purposes such as network operations,
network initiatives, and emergencies.
Changes in Funding Requirements Due to Modeling.--The
Committee expects the Department to continue to include in the
sufficiency letter required by section 117(d) of title 38,
United States Code, which is due to the Congress on July 31 of
each year, a description of any changes exceeding $250,000,000
in funding requirements for the Medical Services account
resulting from the spring recalculation of the Enrollee
Healthcare Projection Model.
Support for FAS Veterans.--Since the passage of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-42), the
Department is no longer restricted from providing services to
veterans residing in the Freely Associated States (FAS),
including, but not limited to, direct care from VA providers,
telehealth, and care through contracts with community
providers, and shipping medications to the FAS. The Committee
requests a brief within 60 days of enactment of this Act with
the estimated cost and the plan for implementing this law in
fiscal year 2026.
Treatments for Hypertension.--The Committee is concerned by
the prevalence of hypertension, or high blood pressure, and
uncontrolled hypertension across the veterans population. In
light of recent advancements in hypertension treatment, such as
FDA-approved renal denervation technologies, the Committee is
interested in understanding the Department's current
initiatives and resources allocated to addressing hypertension
and uncontrolled hypertension within the Veteran community. The
Committee requests a report be submitted to the House and
Senate the Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of
enactment of this Act regarding programs and services VA has in
place to ensure that veterans with hypertension, including
uncontrolled hypertension, receive comprehensive and timely
care, including access to specialist consultations and the
integration of innovative treatments within its healthcare
facilities nationwide.

CANCER AND RARE DISEASES

Advanced MRI-based Solutions.--The Committee recommends
that to ensure access to advanced care for all veterans, VA
Innovation Ecosystem (IE) include in its fiscal year 2026
portfolio activities expanding VA healthcare system's
infrastructural reach to enrolled veterans residing in
geographically underserved areas, including rural and highly
rural. The Committee would like IE to engage industry with
community stakeholders to co-develop transformative, highly
deployable, mobile, and scalable advanced MRI-based solutions
to identify, stratify, and manage the highly prevalent
metabolic disease burden in VA population.
Cancer Screening at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.--The
Department is encouraged to ensure its healthcare providers
screen for the numerous types of cancers that veterans
experience so they can receive the best possible care.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Monitoring.--The Committee
continues to urge the Department to utilize reference data from
existing medical records of veterans to determine the
percentage of veterans who have more frequent or unexplained
symptoms associated with CJD compared to the civilian
population. This data could be helpful in clarifying the extent
and specifics of the medical issues suffered by veterans from
exposure to CJD.
Dermatological Care for Veterans.--The Committee is
concerned by recent research studies, including those by the
National Institutes of Health and the Journal of American
Academy of Dermatology, regarding the increased risk of skin
cancers in Veterans. Servicemembers' increased UV radiation
exposure, lack of sun protective measures, and over two decades
of deployments to regions in close equatorial proximity have
placed veterans at higher risk for melanoma and other skin
cancers. Veterans are also more likely to be diagnosed with
advanced-stage skin cancers than the civilian population due to
less frequent skin checks and access to specialized care. The
committee supports continued access dermatology screening,
dermatologic preventative care, and trained Mohs micrographic
surgeons.
Expanding Lung Cancer Screening for Veterans.--The
Committee recognizes the importance of early detection and
timely diagnosis of cancers and encourages the Department to
review and update its approach to lung cancer screening to
optimize veterans' access to screenings given the unique risk
factors and evolving demographics for this patient population.
As part of this update, the Committee encourages the Department
to issue a request for information and corresponding public
docket to receive information and recommendations regarding the
latest lung cancer research, data, and clinical best practices
to inform the updates to the Department's lung cancer screening
guidelines and update lung cancer screening guidelines to
address those exposed to toxic hazards.
Improving Early Detection of Esophageal Cancer for
Veterans.--The Committee recognizes that Veterans are four
times as likely to develop esophageal cancer, one of the
deadliest and fastest-growing cancers, and that early detection
saves lives. Despite technological advancements, the current
standard of care for surveillance and diagnosis misses many
cases due to its limited sample collection as well as
pathologist subjectivity. The Committee urges the Department to
implement enhanced sampling technology, utilizing a specialized
brush, and accompanied by computer imaging with artificial
intelligence, to identify abnormalities missed by the current
standard of care and as a result identify patients for
treatment at an earlier stage.
Low Helium MRI.--The Committee recognizes that our nation's
helium stockpile is running dangerously low, jeopardizing
Americans' access to diagnostic MRI exams, potentially leading
to false or missed readings and diagnosis, in addition to risks
to other important technologies. The Committee recognizes
technology advancement in the industry that has led to the
development of low helium machines (LH-MRI) to enable fast
imaging for reduced cost to taxpayers with high resolution for
improved diagnosis. Converting to LH-MRI reduces the amount of
helium used by MRI machines by 95.5% and removes the need for
helium refills and top offs over the lifetime of the system.
The Committee encourages the use of LH-MRI machines to reduce
our dependency on helium in the medical field for access to and
diagnosis with MRI.
Medical Companion Program.--The Committee has heard from
veterans about barriers to care for undergoing outpatient or
ambulatory procedures using sedation or anesthesia that require
a responsible adult available to assist in their care before
and after the procedure. The Committee encourages the
Department to support the development of more Medical Companion
programs across the VHA system.
Molecular Diagnostics and Precision Oncology.--The
Committee believes that every veteran with cancer deserves the
highest quality and most medically advanced diagnosis and
treatment available, and the Committee commends the
Department's on-going Precision Oncology Program. The Committee
continues to support the precision oncology clinical services,
including molecular diagnostics for Veterans and directs that
not less than $30,300,000 be utilized for molecular
diagnostics, the Department to provide a report on its progress
within 120 days of enactment.
Reducing Health and Economic Burden of Chronic Liver
Disease Among Veterans.--The health and economic burden of
chronic liver disease is growing rapidly among veterans, fueled
by the prevalence of obesity and related metabolic disorders.
The Department mandates liver biopsy to confirm diagnosis of
metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) to
authorize the use of new drug therapies. The Committee urges
the Department to evaluate the impacts of therapy, including
pharmaceutical and/or lifestyle measures, with the use of new,
clinically validated, FDA-cleared, multiparametric MRI imaging
solutions to diagnose, monitor, and improve management of
veterans with MASH, while avoiding the need for biopsy in many
patients.
Improvements to VA Support for Veterans With End Stage Lung
Disease.--The Committee recognizes the work of the VA to
administer benefits expansion in accordance with the PACT Act
to improve services available for veterans who were exposed to
certain toxins during their time in service. The Committee also
understands that some veterans who suffered from toxic
exposures may have developed severe lung diseases that, in end
stage, require highflow oxygen support. Certain high flow
oxygen support devices for end stage lung disease may only be
accessible for operation in long-term acute care hospitals.
Therefore, the Committee directs the Veterans Health
Administration (VHA) to submit a report, not later than 120
days after enactment, to include the following: (a) An overview
of current treatments, community care models, and coverage
options, to include reimbursement policies, that support long-
term, high flow oxygen support for veterans with service-
related end-stage lung disease; (b) Steps the VHA may take to
facilitate improvements to current treatments, community care
models, and coverage options, to include reimbursement
policies, to support long-term, high flow oxygen support for
veterans with service-related end-stage lung disease; (c) A
cost assessment to reflect total funds the VA may require to
support a change in policy to allow long-term acute care
hospitals to receive continued reimbursement, such that they
may be able to administer long-term high flow oxygen treatment
for veterans with service-related end stage lung disease who
would otherwise require hospice home health services if not for
their unique oxygen support needs.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Caregivers Program.--The Committee provides not less than
fiscal year 2005 for the caregivers program. The Committee
continues to require quarterly reporting on obligations for
this program.
Caregiver Assistance Eligibility.--The Committee recognizes
the important role of family caregivers in supporting the
health and wellness of veterans. The Committee directs VA to
report to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations
within 180 days of enactment of this Act on the feasibility,
including cost estimates, of expanding eligibility for the
Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers and
the Program of General Caregiver Support Services to include
veterans with lower continuous care needs and disability
ratings.

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

Epilepsy Center of Excellence.--The Committee encourages
the Department to ensure that all veterans with epilepsy are
comprehensively evaluated at a VHA Epilepsy Center of
Excellence to identify drug-resistant epilepsy patients who may
be candidates for FDA-approved non-drug therapies.
Neurology Centers of Excellence.--The Committee recognizes
the increasing number of veterans affected by neurologic
conditions, including but not limited to epilepsy, headache,
multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease, and therefore
provides $87,200,000 for the Neurology Centers of Excellence.
This includes $29,212,000 for the Epilepsy Centers, $32,700,000
for the Headache Centers, $6,540,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis
Centers, and $17,440,000 for the Parkinson's Disease, Research,
Education and Clinical Centers.
The Neurology Centers of Excellence provide essential
innovative clinical care, education, and research efforts
focused on these conditions. The Committee applauds the
Department for recent investments into the headache, multiple
sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease centers and acknowledges the
advancement and expansion the Centers have begun. The Committee
encourages further investment and collaboration of the Centers
across disciplines and urges the Department to allocate robust
funding for the Neurology Centers of Excellence for maintenance
and expansion. The Committee also directs the Department to
report back the use and allocation of funds for each Center
within 120 of enactment of this Act.

COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS

Academic Collaborations at Community Based Outpatient
Clinics (CBOC).--The Committee encourages VA to expand academic
collaborations with CBOCs, as they provide valuable patient
care and access to services that can be strengthened by
collaboration with educational institutions. Through clinical
traineeships and research fellowships, emerging health
professionals can gain a better understanding of veterans'
specific healthcare needs, improve patient outcomes, advance
specialized research, and increase the talented workforce
pipeline. VA is encouraged to consider including public
academic medical centers in CBOC collaborations.
Increasing Veterans Enrollment in Medicare.--The Committee
is aware that information gaps exist for some veterans related
to the differences between hospital care and medical services
available in VA system versus coverage provided under Medicare.
The information gaps may have resulted in some veterans
receiving late-enrollment penalties through the Medicare
program. The Committee encourages the Veterans Health
Administration to work with the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human
Services to ensure that veterans have accurate information
regarding the differences between VA system and Medicare
coverage, including for prescription drugs.
Private Sector Non-Profit Partnerships.--The Committee is
aware of the efforts of private non-profit organizations to
support veterans and their families in civilian life, lower
veteran suicides, and make them aware of the benefits they
earned for their service. The Committee encourages the
Department to build upon its existing partnerships and seek
opportunities to establish new ones. The Committee is
interested in partnerships that seek to offer sustainable
solutions, improve the quality of civilian life, and seek to
improve veteran outreach to connect with those who may have
slipped through the cracks.
Veterans Access to Long-Term Care.--The Committee is aware
of the Department's support for extending exemptions to
providers, including long-term care, operating pursuant to an
agreement with VA to improve veterans' access to care. The
Committee is concerned that any additional requirements imposed
on the Department's community care providers will make it more
difficult to recruit and retain these vital partners. The
Committee encourages the Department to work with the Department
of Labor to seek exemptions for Veterans Affairs Health
Benefits Providers from its authority, similar to TRICARE
providers, in order to increase veterans' access to care.
Whole Family Care Partnerships.--The Committee is aware of
the efforts of private organizations to support veterans and
their families and recognizes that they can sometimes provide
services, such as counseling and wellness programs, for the
families of veterans that the Department cannot. Recognizing
that Congress, the Department, and private organizations share
the same goal of supporting veterans, the Committee directs the
Department to build upon its existing partnerships and seek
opportunities to establish new ones. The Committee is
particularly interested in partnerships related to mental
health, including the mental health of veterans' families, and
provides up to $2,500,000 to increase outreach to this in-need
underserved population.

DENTAL CARE

Dental Care.--The Committee directs that not less than
fiscal year 2025 enacted amounts be used to provide dental care
for veterans.
Dental Vans.--The Committee notes that many veterans
residing in rural areas must travel long distances to access
quality dental and oral care. Within 180 days of enactment of
this Act, the Committee requests the Department brief the
Committee on the feasibility of deploying mobile dental
cleaning vans, in partnership with any appropriate federal
agencies, academic institutions, public, or private
organizations, to provide pop-up dental cleaning services
across rural, remote locations to reach veteran populations.
Veterans Oral Health.--The Committee understands that
veterans may experience a large oral disease burden, and
therefore an integrated and whole-person approach is needed to
prevent and manage oral disease in this population, which may
also enable cost savings in VA Health Care at large. The
Committee looks forward to receiving the report on the
Department's assessment of its oral healthcare program and its
ability to meet current and future needs as required by House
Report 118-122.

DIABETES CARE

Reducing Diabetes-Related Amputations in Veterans.--The
Committee is encouraged by advancements in wound care
technologies aimed at addressing diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs),
which present a significant health risk and are the leading
cause of lower-extremity amputation in veterans. The Committee
directs the Department to explore methods that can be used for
wounds such as diabetic ulcers, venous ulcers, burns, and
pressure wounds and can lead to improved outcomes while
reducing long-term costs. The Committee requests that VA
provide a report within 90 days of enactment of this Act on its
findings and potential cost savings.
Reducing Type 2 Diabetes in Veterans.--The Committee
commends the Department for actively engaging with industry
partners in a study using telehealth to provide individualized
ketogenic nutrition programs and medical support to reduce the
incidence of diabetes in VA patients. The Committee applauds
the effectiveness of the study at reducing patient dependence
on diabetes medication and the clinical improvements achieved
by Veterans engaged individualized ketogenic nutrition
programs. The Committee is aware of existing plans within the
Department to expand ketogenic diabetes telehealth services
beyond the pilot study to address the healthcare needs of
Veterans living with Type 2 diabetes. The Committee encourages
the Department to sustain and expand industry partnerships and
programs focused on ketogenic diabetes telehealth services to
support the health and quality of life of our Nation's
Veterans.
Reducing Veteran Insulin-related Adverse Events.--The
Committee encourages the Department to explore establishing a
pilot program to improve glycemic management in VA medical
centers. The pilot should target reductions in severe hyper-
and hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients and consider existing
commercial technologies that are FDA-cleared and proven to
reduce patient length of stay and readmissions, integrate with
existing electronic health record systems, and reduce
administrative burden on hospital staff.

EMERGING AND NOTABLE HEALTHCARE ISSUES

Dialysis.--Over 18,000 veterans receive dialysis through
the National Dialysis Services Contract. The Committee
appreciates the Department's commitment to ensure care is not
disrupted or diminished for the veterans who receive treatment.
The Committee looks forward to working with the Department to
utilize a value-based dialysis payment model.
Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Disorders.--The Committee
encourages the Department to require sleep disorder diagnosis
and treatment related study within the current Continuing
Medical Education (CME) requirements of VA physician workforce
to ensure that veterans seeking treatment for sleep disorders
are appropriately diagnosed and treated to prevent compounding
mental health disorders as well as to lower the high risk of
cardiovascular disease which is affiliated with sleep
disorders.
Fall Prevention.--The Committee appreciates the work the
Administration has done to address and reduce fall risks in
older veterans. The Committee encourages the Administration to
expand its work on fall prevention.
Needle Stick Injuries.--The Committee remains interested in
the Department's efforts to reduce or eliminate needlestick
injury among caregivers and staff at VA facilities. The
Committee encourages VA to use the most-up-to-date needle
destruction technology.
Nuclear Medicine Quality Improvements.--The Committee notes
that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has confirmed
nuclear medicine extravasations can result in radiation-safety-
significant doses to patients and is engaged in rulemaking to
require medical event reporting of extravasations. The
Committee encourages VA nuclear medicine facilities to monitor
injection quality, image extravasations, conduct dosimetry, and
notify patients when large extravasations occur.
Supporting Elderly Veterans Through Geriatric Patient
Aligned Care Teams.--The Committee understands that there are
currently more than 11 million aging veterans across the United
States, making Geriatric Veterans the largest current
demographic of those who have served. The Committee urges the
Department to expand the Geriatrics Patient Aligned Care Team
model to all medical centers and community-based outpatient
clinics deemed feasible and needed.
Veterans Transportation.--The Committee supports the
Department's programs that provide veterans with transportation
to VA medical facilities and make it easier for veterans to
receive medical care and encourages VA to explore options to
strengthen and sustain the Volunteer Transportation Network,
such as increased funding to recruit and retain drivers and
provide vehicle maintenance.

HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGIES

Bioelectronic Medicine for Veterans.--The Committee
recognizes that Bioelectronic Medicine has the potential to
harness the body's electrical signaling to advance treatments
that save lives and lower medical expenditures. Accelerating
studies, additional data collection, and the development and
adoption of novel applications for Bioelectronic Medicine
combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI)
can address challenging and expensive diseases by personalizing
treatments and improving therapy delivery. The Committee
encourages the Department to ensure that combined Bioelectronic
Medicine and AI technologies are available to veterans.
Digital Quality Measures.--Health care quality measures
currently rely on manual collection, exchange, management, and
analysis that adds significant cost to VA health care.
Digitizing health care quality measures will lower health care
costs, decrease provider burden, increase transparency, and
improve patient outcomes. The Department is encouraged to
explore testing digital reporting methods for quality measures
and consult with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Medical Image Exchange.--The Committee applauds VA
facilities in 17 of 18 VISNs that have deployed a modern
software platform that supports bi-directional exchange of
medical images, diagnostic reports, and other clinical data
between VA facilities, community providers, and federal
partners. The Committee encourages the Department to expand
this software's connections to Indian and tribal health clinics
and work with the Department of Defense to expedite connections
with military treatment facilities.
PhAIMIS.--The Committee recognizes the opportunity that IT
modernization provides to realize cost savings and efficiency.
Further, the Committee appreciates efforts by the Department to
modernize supply chains to achieve these goals. The Committee
encourages the Department to consider utilizing the Pharmacy
Artificial Intelligence Managed Inventory System'' (PhAIMIS)
program and modernize the Supply Chain Master Catalog,
utilizing commercial solutions and competition to maximize the
benefit to Veterans and taxpayers.

HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The Committee provides $3,459,000,000 for VA homeless
assistance programs. An estimated $12,007,323,000 is provided
for homeless veterans treatment costs.
Programs to assist homeless veterans include the Homeless
Providers Grant and Per Diem (GPD), Health Care for Homeless
Veterans (HCHV), the Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans,
the Supportive Services for Low Income Veterans and Families
(SSVF), Veterans Justice Outreach Homeless Prevention (VJO),
Compensated Work Therapy, and the Department of Housing and
Urban Development-Department of Veterans Affairs Supported
Housing (HUD-VASH) programs.
Cost of Care for Veterans' Homes.--The Committee is
concerned with the current reimbursement rate for state and
non-profit run Veterans' Homes. The Committee recognizes that
the costs associated with Veterans' Homes are substantial due
to the high acuity level of the veteran population served, and
that current VHA rates are inconsistent with the current cost
of care. The Committee requests a report, not later than 90
days following enactment of this Act, outlining how current
reimbursement rates are calculated, how VHA makes locality
adjustments, how the VHA works to reduce the cost of
prescription drugs for veterans in homes, and recommended
legislative changes for Congress to consider.
Healthcare for Homeless Veterans.--The Committee notes the
benefits of the Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (HPACT)
program and encourages VA to expand this program to additional
sites, including rural areas, and to consider additional
services to improve the program. The Committee urges the
Department to explore options to expand this program to
additional sites, including cost estimates, with its fiscal
year 2027 budget request.
Homeless Veterans in the Southwest.--The Committee
continues to direct VA to work with the Department of Housing
and Urban Development to develop strategies and recommendations
for addressing veteran homelessness including the Southwest and
to take into account undercounted veterans when awarding HUD-
VASH vouchers. The Committee appreciates VA's efforts to
implement strategies to decrease veteran homelessness in the
Southwest.
HUD-VASH Case Management.--The Committee recognizes the
value and impact of the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (VASH)
program, which serves veterans experiencing homelessness and
pairs each HUD affordable housing voucher designated for
veterans with intensive case management from VA to assist with
benefits and income, mental healthcare, recovery services, and
permanent housing stability. Case management services are
critically important to the function of the program, and public
housing authorities rely on VA Medical Centers' referrals to
house veterans. Existing requirements mandate that a veteran
must receive VA case management services to receive a HUD-VASH
voucher. The inadequacy of staff for case management has
contributed to the ongoing underutilization of HUD-VASH
vouchers. The Committee recommends an increase in staffing for
case management services to continue to improve the rate of
lease referrals and to account for increased staffing costs and
recent expansions in eligibility.
Legal Assistance for the Supportive Services for Veteran
Families Program.--The Committee continues to encourage the
Supportive Services for Veteran Families [SSVF] program to work
with grantees to expand their legal service offerings,
particularly in rural areas where access to private legal
assistance can be limited.
Recovery-Oriented Care.--The health and well-being of the
Nation's men and women who have served in uniform is the
highest priority for the Department. Mental health care at VA
comprises an unparalleled system of comprehensive treatments
and services to meet the needs of each Veteran and the family
members who are involved in the Veteran's care. The Committee
notes these services support veteran resilience, identify and
treat mental health conditions at their earliest onset, address
acute mental health crises, and deliver recovery-oriented
treatment.
SSVF-HVRP Coordination.--The Committee urges the Department
to coordinate with the Department of Labor to maximize the
impact of the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
program and the Homeless Veterans' Reintegration Program
(HVRP). The Departments are encouraged to provide grants to
eligible entities with capabilities for delivering services
under both programs.
Tiny Homes.--The Committee notes the success of the tiny
home village model by multiple veterans service organizations
(VSOs) and encourages VA, in coordination with the Department
of Housing and Urban Development to support this work and
facilitate the creation of additional villages of tiny homes
villages within VA's existing Grant and Per-Diem (GPD) program.
Veterans At-Risk of Homelessness Data.--The Committee notes
that homelessness data may currently undercount women veterans
with children. The Committee encourages the Department to work
with the Department of Housing and Urban Development's
Continuums of Care to include data on veterans at-risk of
homelessness within Section 5: Veterans Experiencing
Homelessness of the Annual Homelessness Assessment Report
(AHAR) to Congress.

INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Intimate Partner Violence Program (IPV).--The Committee
continues to support the Department's efforts to expand its IPV
program, which provides a holistic approach that involves
understanding, recognizing and responding to the effects of all
types of trauma, with the ultimate goals to end violence,
prevent further violence, and promote healthy relationships.

MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS

The Committee provides $16,380,187,000 for mental health
programs. Of the total, $3,161,426,000 is for suicide
prevention and treatment programs, including $698,000,000 for
suicide prevention outreach $311,683,000 for the Veterans
Crisis Line, and $1,500,000 for the expansion of Mental Health
Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Programs.
The Committee continues to direct the Department to focus
on efforts to address parking lot suicides and connect veterans
to care.
The Department is directed to provide a report to the
Committee, not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act,
identifying a detailed expenditure plan for all suicide
outreach and treatment programs and how VA is meeting the
Committee's directives.
Agritherapy.--The Committee supports efforts to train
veterans in agricultural vocations, while also tending to
behavioral and mental health needs with behavioral healthcare
services and treatments from licensed providers. The Committee
urges the Department to consider including agritherapy as a
Complementary and Alternative Medicine therapy.
Depression and Precision Medicine.--The Committee
recognizes that depression is one of the most common conditions
associated with military service and combat service. Further,
the risk of suicide increases with this diagnosis and each time
a veteran tries and fails a medication. The Committee is
encouraged by ongoing VA-sponsored genetic testing research to
aid in depression treatment selection; however, veterans still
have less access than Medicare beneficiaries to precision
medicine tools. The Committee urges the Department to ensure
the procurement of pharmacogenomic tests for use in the
treatment of depression if they have been shown to improve
health outcomes of veterans in clinical trials.
Faith Based Digital Applications Impact on Mental Health.--
The Committee understands that recent data has shown that the
use of digital, faith-based applications can have a measurable
impact on mental health and wellness. The Committee urges the
Department to review the effectiveness of such applications and
requests a report on findings within 180 days of enactment of
this Act.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.--The Committee urges the
Department to research the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen
therapy (HBOT) as a treatment for post-traumatic stress
disorder and traumatic brain injury and should permit case-by-
case referrals for veterans to receive HBOT in the community.
Mental Health Treatment.--The Committee commends the
Department of Veterans Affairs for its innovative
implementation of immersive technology to improve Veterans'
health care experiences. Immersive technology is currently
being used in over 200 VA Medical Centers and Facilities across
all 50 states, American Samoa, Guam, and Puerto Rico. Immersive
technologies have proven effective in treating Veterans with
difficult-to-treat post-traumatic stress disorder, depression,
stress, and anxiety. The Committee encourages the Department to
consider how the use of immersive technology can be used to
expand veterans' access to these critical healthcare services.
Military Sexual Assault.--The Committee recommends that all
veterans seeking treatment services are screened for sexual
assault using an evidence-based screening tool to successfully
treat those who have experienced assault.
Patient Confidentiality.--The Committee recognizes that VA
provides mental health services for posttraumatic stress
disorder (PTSD), psychological effects of military sexual
trauma (MST), depression, grief, anxiety, and other needs. It
is essential that mental health clinicians employed or
contracted by VA who are facing return-to-office directives be
provided appropriate spaces to work and provide care to
patients where confidentiality will not be breached.
Peer Support.--The Committee recognizes the critical role
that peer support services play in helping veterans manage
mental health challenges, navigate the transition to civilian
life, and build community connections. The Committee urges the
Department to continue expanding access to peer support
programs across VA and to ensure that veterans are aware of the
full range of available services. The Committee directs the
Department to provide a report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of enactment of
this Act outlining existing peer support tools and programs,
including but not limited to Peer Specialist initiatives,
Veteran Peer Support Networks, and VA-sponsored peer mentoring
efforts. The report should also identify any gaps in peer
support services and make recommendations for improving
outreach, effectiveness, and veteran engagement.
Veterans Crisis Line (VCL).--The Committee is concerned
about the continued functionality, accessibility, and
performance of the VCL. The Committee recognizes the critical
role of VCL personnel, and the importance of uninterrupted
crisis support for veterans. The Committee directs the
Department to submit a report to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress no later than 90 days
after enactment of this Act. The report shall include: (1) VCL
staffing levels and service capacity; (2) performance metrics
over the same period, including call answer rates, average wait
times, and referrals to suicide prevention coordinators; (3)
any contingency plans developed or implemented to maintain
continuous crisis line functionality and workforce stability;
and (4) steps taken to ensure alternative access to support or
follow-up care for veterans who may have been unable to connect
with VCL during or after this period.

MILITARY TOXIC EXPOSURE RESEARCH PROGRAM

The bill provides resources for research on military
environmental exposures. The Committee supports efforts to
improve diagnosis and treatment of conditions resulting from
toxic exposures and appreciates the work of the Health Outcomes
Military Exposures (HOME) program, the Office of Research and
Development, and other VA program offices to increase attention
to this issue.
The Committee encourages the Department to continue
research on the effects of and treatments for veterans exposed
to toxins, such as Agent Orange, open burn pits, PFAS,
radiation, and asbestos, during the course of their active-duty
service. The Committee also urges the Department to utilize
reference data from existing medical records to determine how
veterans who served in areas where toxins were dispersed may
have more frequent or unexplained diseases compared to the
civilian population.
Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence.--The
Committee provides $15,165,000 and continues to support the
Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence on
diagnoses, mitigation, and treatment of conditions related to
airborne hazards and burn pits.
Colorectal Cancer Screening.--Colorectal cancer is the
fourth most common cancer diagnosis among our nation's
veterans. The Committee recognizes that early detection with
screening is the most effective tool available to help prevent
thousands of cancer deaths and that detecting cancers in
earlier stages when they are most treatable saves lives, as
well as providing cost savings for the patient and the system.
The Committee urges the Department to review its policy related
to colorectal cancer screening and take action to align it with
the nationally recognized guideline recommendations from the
United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), National
Comprehensive Care Network, and the American Cancer Society and
explore additional research on the prevalence of colorectal
cancer in those exposed to burn pits and other environmental
hazards.
Glioblastoma and Toxic Exposure.--The Committee recognizes
the urgency of improving research, early detection, and
treatment options for glioblastoma, a rare but aggressive brain
cancer that has increasingly affected our nation's veterans,
with growing evidence suggesting a link to toxic exposures such
as burn pits and other environmental hazards. The Committee
urges the Department to prioritize research on the incidence of
glioblastoma among veterans, particularly Vietnam War veterans
and those with known exposure to environmental toxins, and to
evaluate whether existing screening and care adequately reflect
the needs of this population. The Committee also encourages the
Department to explore partnerships with academic and medical
institutions to advance understanding of risk factors and
improve outcomes for veterans diagnosed with glioblastoma.

OPIOID PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAM

The bill includes $232,000,000 for opioid treatment and
prevention efforts. Of the total, $254,487,000 is provided for
activities authorized by the Comprehensive Addiction and
Recovery Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-198).
Nonaddictive Opioid Alternatives.--According to the
National Institute on Drug Abuse, a significant number of
veterans take a large amount of prescription drugs, often due
to high rates of chronic pain and mental health conditions
stemming from their military service. This can lead to over-
prescribing of medications like opioids, potentially causing
addiction and other health complications. The Committee
encourages VA to assess policies and procedures and to work
with Congress on efforts to facilitate coverage of non-
addictive alternatives to opioids for pain treatment and
management. The Committee supports efforts by VA to educate
veterans and physicians in VA health system on FDA-approved,
non-addictive alternatives to opioids for pain management.
Therapeutic Massage Services.--The Committee recognizes the
growing body of evidence supporting therapeutic massage as an
effective, non-opioid alternative for managing chronic pain and
post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans. The Committee
encourages the Department to expand access to certified
therapeutic massage services within the Community Care Network,
and to report on outcomes related to opioid prescription rates,
emergency room visits, and veteran satisfaction. The Committee
further urges VA to collaborate with external stakeholders and
VSOs to promote education and awareness of non-pharmacologic
pain management options for veterans.

PHARMACEUTICAL ISSUES

Novel Program for Optimizing Pain Management.--The
Committee recognizes the balance between supporting access to
care for veterans with pain and the veteran's risk of
developing dependency for prescription pain medication. The
Committee supports the implementation of a process improvement
initiative that will reduce the risk of tolerance, dependence,
misuse, addiction, and diversion of prescription pain
medication by establishing more precise and effective
prescribing guidelines to ensure veterans receive appropriate
care. The Committee expects VA to deploy an innovative clinical
decision support tool to evaluate and interpret the acute and
chronic pain management needs for military veterans, their
dependents, and/or employees of VA. The Committee supports the
use of a novel care model that is available to those receiving
treatment through traditional VHA hospitals/clinics and those
utilizing Care in the Community.
Prescription Drug Quality.--The availability of safe and
effective prescription drugs has significant implications for
the health of veterans, the workload of VHA personnel, and
federal spending. The U.S. experiences over three drug recalls
a day, and production of most drugs and active pharmaceutical
ingredients (API) has shifted to China and India. VHA is one of
the largest purchasers of pharmaceuticals in the U.S. but has
no way to distinguish between higher- and lower-quality
pharmaceutical manufacturers. Currently, the Uniformed Services
University of the Health Sciences' (USUHS) Center for Health
Services Research (CHSR) is piloting a system to evaluate the
quality of drug products for essential medicines and develop a
scoring tool for potential use in Department of Defense
procurement. The Committee encourages the Department to explore
a potential partnership with USUHS and work to develop a
strategy for the use of drug quality scoring in VA procurement.
The Committee directs the Department to report to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 180 days
after enactment of this Act and annually thereafter on the
progress of this effort.

POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER CARE

National Center for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.--
Recognizing the importance of VA's National Center for PTSD in
promoting better prevention, diagnoses and treatment of PTSD,
the Committee provides $42,000,000 for the Center.
New Treatments for PTSD.--The Committee is aware of
privately funded research regarding potential new treatments
for PTSD, including psychedelic-assisted-therapy and encourages
the Department to monitor these efforts and review the results
of existing and future clinical trials.
Service Dogs for Veterans' Mental Health.--The Committee is
aware of the positive impact service dogs have on military
veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
and those who have experienced military sexual trauma (MST).
The Committee encourages the Department to establish a pilot
program to provide grants to nonprofit organizations for the
purpose of assisting such organizations in carrying out
programs to provide service dogs to eligible veterans. The
duties of such service dog programs shall be to plan, design,
establish, or operate one or more programs that provide service
dogs to eligible veterans. Within 180 days of enactment of this
Act, the Department shall update the Committee on the
feasibility of a program, including design, cost, and potential
partnerships that could provide service dogs to eligible
veterans.
Women Veterans Network.--The Committee continues to support
the role of Women Veterans Network (WoVeN), a national peer
support network for women veterans managed by the National
Center for PTSD-Women's Health Sciences Division.

RURAL HEALTH

Office of Rural Health (ORH).--The bill includes
$342,000,000 for rural health to improve access and quality of
care for the more than 3,000,000 enrolled veterans residing in
rural and highly rural areas.
Office of Rural Health Operating Plan.--The Committee
directs the Office of Rural Health to submit not later than 60
days after enactment of this Act an operating plan for fiscal
year 2026 funding, as well as for the fiscal year 2027 funding
provided in advance by this Act.
Rural Access Network for Growth Enhancement (RANGE).--The
RANGE Program provides case management and treatment services
to mentally ill veterans in rural areas. The bill includes
sufficient funding to maintain three new centers of the RANGE
Program, as authorized by the Sgt. Ketchum Rural Veterans
Mental Health Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-21).
Rural and Tribal Healthcare Access.--The Committee
recognizes the shortage of healthcare providers in rural
communities and tribal lands, where approximately 4.4 million
veterans face significant barriers to accessing care. The
Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS) provides
timely access to healthcare services for Native American and
other rural veterans through a program that encompasses mobile
medical clinics, telehealth technologies, and clinical staffing
services. The Committee supports the NAVAHCS model and
encourages the Department to expand this model to ten VA
Medical Centers. The Department shall submit a report to House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations on these expansion
efforts within 120 days after the date of enactment of this
Act.
Transportation Challenges.--The Committee encourages the
Office of Rural Health to use $10,000,000 for the continued
partnership between the Veterans Transportation Program and the
Office of Rural Health to continue providing transportation to
VA appointments for veterans who live in rural areas.

SUBSTANCE-USE DISORDER CARE

The bill includes $232,881,000 for Substance-Use Disorder
(SUD) efforts to ensure veterans can receive timely SUD
specialty services.
Medication-Assisted Treatments.--The Committee encourages
VA to expand clinical education among its primary care
practitioners on use of long-acting injectable medications
(LAIs) that are FDA-approved for the treatment of alcohol use
disorder, opioid use disorder, and serious mental illnesses, as
clinically indicated.
Substance Abuse Education and Outreach.--The Committee
recognizes the ongoing work of the Department to reduce
substance use disorder among veterans. The Committee supports
new and innovative solutions, including internet-based
substance abuse education programs, to intervene early with at-
risk veterans and supports programs that provide veterans and
their families with the tools they need to meet these
challenges. The Committee encourages VA to increase education
among its primary care practitioners on the diagnosis and
treatment of alcohol use disorders with Food and Drug
Administration-approved medication-assisted treatment and
counseling, as clinically indicated.
Tobacco Harm Reduction.--The Committee is concerned that
smoking rates among U.S. military veterans is significantly
higher than among the civilian population. The Committee is
aware of the Department's smoking cessation program but is
concerned that there is no publicly available information
regarding the success of the program. The Committee is also
aware that if the success rate of the tobacco cessation program
reflects that of the civilian population, then over 90% of
veteran participants are likely to continue using combustible
cigarettes. The Committee encourages the Department to
coordinate with the Food and Drug Administration to incorporate
into the Department's smoking cessation program.

SUICIDE PREVENTION

The bill includes $698,000,000 for suicide prevention
outreach programs.
Brandon Act.--The Committee encourages the Department to
further implement the Brandon Act which empowers service
members to get the help they need confidentially.
Collaboration on Gun Safety and Storage.--The Committee is
aware of the Administration's new national strategy, ``Reducing
Military and Veteran Suicide: Advancing a Comprehensive, Cross-
Sector, Evidence-Informed Approach'', and commends the
Strategy's focus on improving Lethal Means Safety education and
training for veterans, including firearms safety. The Committee
continues to support collaboration across public and private
sectors to end the national tragedy of suicide and encourages
VA medical centers to focus particular efforts on collaboration
with state and local law enforcement and health officials in
states that have adopted gun safety laws to adopt programs and
protocols on firearms safety and storage regarding veterans who
may be struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Firearm Lockbox Program.--The Committee supports VA's
efforts to address veteran suicide prevention, and the firearm
lockbox program is a critical element. As VA implements this
program, the Committee is concerned that funding limitations
may impact the scope and reach of this initiative within the
broader National Strategy for Preventing Veteran Suicide. The
Committee encourages VA to ensure that access to firearms
storage resources for Veterans is included in training for
employees of the Veterans Crisis Line.
Guard and Reserve Components.--In House Report 118-122, the
Committee noted that since 2020 the National Veteran Suicide
Prevention Annual Reports have not included information
regarding former members of the Guard and Reserve Components
who were not activated for military service. The Committee
encouraged the Department to continue to collaborate with the
Department of Defense to monitor and to ensure appropriate
measures are available to reduce suicide in this population.
Within 180 days after the date of the enactment of this act,
the Committee directs the Department to provide a report on
efforts to reduce and monitor suicides amongst this military
population.
InTransition Program.--The Committee recognizes service
members are most vulnerable to dying from suicide in the first
three months following separation from military service. The
Committee is concerned that the Defense Health Agency's
transition assistance programs are not connecting with over 70%
of its automatically enrolled service members. The Committee
believes that by moving away from a rigid one-size-fits-all
approach and embracing a data-driven, personalized, and multi-
channel model, the InTransition program can maximize
engagement, improve mental health outcomes, and ensure
resources are allocated efficiently.
Lethal Means Safety Training.--To prevent suicide among
Veterans, VA has implemented mandatory lethal means safety
training for clinical health care providers in VHA facilities,
but the training remains optional for other VA employees, and
for all community care providers and family caregivers. To
ensure that every employee who regularly interacts with
Veterans is prepared to have a conversation that could save a
Veteran's life, the Committee continues to urge VA to implement
mandatory lethal means safety training for all VHA and VBA
employees who regularly interact with Veterans.
Public-Private Upstream Veteran Suicide Prevention
Initiative.--The Committee supports funding of community-based
organizations that serve as part of a public-private
partnership with the Department to address upstream prevention
needs of veterans. To better support veterans, the Committee
encourages the Department to fund community based, non-profit
organizations that serve in a statewide capacity, and have and
coordinate an extensive network of public and private sector
partners to increase access to critical services for veterans
with the goal of preventing suicide; increasing access to care
and services; and improving well-being outcomes for veterans.
Predictive Modeling and Analytics for Veterans Suicide
Prevention.--The Committee remains supportive of VA's efforts
to continue to address the growing number of Veteran suicides
but recognizes that there is a significant need to improve
early suicide indicators and detection using artificial
intelligence and machine learning technologies that improve
operational efficiency and effectiveness throughout veteran
service delivery. To improve veteran service delivery, the
Committee encourages the Department to evaluate the use of
omnichannel technologies to improve identification of at-risk
veterans. The Department may consider using all government
service delivery channels with omnichannel capabilities and
real-time analytics to ensure that interactions with a veteran
can be used to gain appropriate insights that help the
Department better identify veterans at-risk in real time and
allow for the proper use of resources and decisive actions to
be taken.
Suicide Prevention Coordinators.--The Committees recognize
the importance of suicide prevention coordinators and
encourages the Department to fully staff these positions and
improve veterans' access to these coordinators.
Study on Leading Causes of Veteran Suicides.--The Committee
directs the Comptroller General of the United States (GAO) to
conduct a study on the leading causes of suicides among
veterans and submit the completed report to the Committee
within one year of the enactment of this bill.
Suicide Prevention Reporting.--The Committee directs the
Department to incorporate full veteran benefit usage in its
annual suicide prevention report to demonstrate the
relationship between VA benefits and veterans who die by
suicide. The report shall contain detailed usage of benefits
the same way VA reports on veteran interactions with VHA.
Additionally, the Committee directs VA to provide annual
utilization reports on community grants for suicide prevention.
Veteran Resiliency, Suicide Prevention and Response.--The
Committee notes that death by suicide in our veteran population
remains an alarming crisis. Tragically, 18 to 24 Veterans die
by suicide daily. The Department's data demonstrates that
veterans suicide rates have increased over the last 20 years.
The Committee directs VA to modernize current suicide
prevention models to better ensure they are reaching at risk
veterans.

TELEHEALTH AND CONNECTED CARE

The bill includes resources for telehealth and connected
care, which includes home telehealth, home telehealth
prosthetics, and clinic-based telehealth.
The Committee directs the Department to continue to expand
telehealth availability, including the facilitation of public
private partnerships, to include additional mental health,
primary care, and rehabilitation services as a means to deliver
care in rural and underserved communities.
The Department is encouraged to leverage newly gained
telehealth capacity to address backlogs for disability exams
and healthcare appointments when appropriate. The Committee
further directs VA to continue to implement plans to improve
veteran and provider satisfaction, increase awareness of the
telehealth program, and enhance adoption of telehealth by
veterans and providers.
VA Telehealth Benefits.--VA Telehealth Services are
transforming how veterans access high-quality VA care by making
it easier for veterans to connect with health specialists from
across the country. Not later than 180 days after the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a report to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the wait times for
VA telehealth services and the active public-private
partnerships that enable and enhance telehealth access to
Veterans. The report shall include an update on obligations of
public-private partnerships (P3s) included in the Mission Act
of 2018.
Veteran Access to Telehealth.--The Committee urges the
Department to continue efforts to improve and expand access to
telehealth services. The Committee requests a report not later
than 120 days of enactment of this Act on the estimated number
of veterans who lack access to telehealth services according to
the best available data, including the number of Veterans who
lack necessary access to the internet.

WHOLE HEALTH

The Committee supports the Whole Health model of care and
the expansion of Whole Health to all VA facilities.
Adaptive Sports.--The Committee provides not less than
fiscal year 2025 enacted levels for National Veterans Sports
Programs, including resources for adaptive sports programs. The
Committee recognizes the significant improvements that adaptive
sports and recreational therapy have on veterans' mental and
physical health. It applauds the efforts of community providers
of these grants, especially in rural areas, who have been able
to utilize this key program in successfully reintegrating
veterans back into their communities. The Committee is aware
that community providers of adaptive sports grants spend
considerable time and effort in planning and implementing their
veteran service programs. The Committee encourages the Adaptive
Sports Grants Office to recognize that recruitment and planning
activities are not administrative in nature and should not be
considered as such in future grant solicitations.
Continued Support and Expansion of Whole Health.--Since FY
2021, the Committee has consistently praised the Veterans
Administration (VA) Whole Health System, citing its ability to
provide efficient and effective patient-centered, integrative
care to veterans, especially those who are struggling with
opioid use disorder and chronic pain. The Committee recognizes
that Veterans who engage in Whole Health services experience
significantly greater reductions in opioid use compared to
those receiving conventional care alone. The Committee
encourages continued investment in the expansion and
integration of Whole Health services across the VA system as a
proactive, evidence-based strategy to address pain management,
reduce reliance on prescription opioids, and enhance long-term
Veteran health outcomes.
Creative Arts Therapies.--The Committee continues to
acknowledge the effective use of creative arts therapies and
arts and humanities partnerships in treating veterans with
traumatic brain injuries and psychological health conditions.
Prescription Produce.--The Committee is concerned with food
insecurity among the veteran population and requests the Office
of Nutrition & Food Services work with clinicians to determine
the feasibility of delivery and coverage work streams to
facilitate integration of a local produce prescription service
delivery. Within one year of the enactment of this Act, the
Department shall update the Committee on this effort.

WOMEN VETERANS HEALTH CARE

The recommendation includes a total of $1,323,444,000 to
support care for women, the Office of Women's Health and
programmatic efforts, including the childcare initiative.
Within this amount, VA is encouraged to continue hiring women
primary care providers and increase the number of peer support
specialists for women veterans.
Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines.--The Committee commends
VA's decision to offer breast cancer screening and mammography
to eligible women veterans beginning at age 40. However, the
Department should be prepared to offer screening to eligible
younger women veterans, especially women at higher risk for
breast cancer, should a physician determine medical necessity,
or risk factors warrant, screening before age 40. The Committee
supports this effort to ensure that women veterans have access
to and receive adequate and timely care and requests an update
on the Department's implementation of this policy no later than
60 days after enactment of this Act.
Care for Women.--The Committee recognizes that women are
now the fastest growing cohort within the veteran community.
The increased number of women using VHA services necessitates a
greater investment of resources to provide and expand VA's
services to women veterans and ensure women veterans' health
needs, which often differ from men, are met. The Committee
supports continued efforts to identify and address the unique
issues experienced by women veterans. VA is encouraged to
continue redesigning its women's healthcare delivery system and
improving its facilities to ensure women receive equitable,
timely, and high-quality healthcare.
Copper Intrauterine Devices.--The Committee encourages the
Department VA to study the impacts of intrauterine devices
(IUDs), especially copper IUDs, on women Veterans receiving VA
reproductive health services. The study should focus on
physical and non-physical side effects, such as anxiety,
depression, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and potential copper
toxicity. The Committee urges the Department to evaluate these
effects, analyze clinical data and patient outcomes, and submit
a report to House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on
findings no later than 120 of enactment of this Act.
Ensuring Access to Quality Care.--The Committee recognizes
the Deborah Sampson Act is the most comprehensive legislation
for women veterans in a decade that helps address barriers that
women veterans may face when accessing VA care and benefits.
The Committee encourages VA to continue to ensure women
veterans have access to high quality, well-coordinated care and
robust services as required by the law.
Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes for Women Veterans.--
The Committee directs the Department to provide a report within
180 days of enactment of this Act regarding the incidence of
birth defects, miscarriage, stillbirth, and maternal morbidity
and mortality that can be related to military service and
provide recommendations to raise awareness and improve maternal
and infant health outcomes. The Committee encourages the VHA to
publicly disseminate the information found in this report to
aid in awareness and prevention measures to improve maternal
and infant health outcomes.
Maternity Healthcare and Coordination Programs.--The
Committee is pleased that the Department established maternity
healthcare and coordination programs to coordinate prenatal and
postpartum care provided in the community which have been
successful in ensuring that veterans can receive high-quality,
appropriate care and robust support during and after pregnancy.
The Committee supports these programs and encourages the
Department to continue to ensure veterans have access to high-
quality, well-coordinated care, and robust services and directs
the Department to continue to implement the Protecting Moms Who
Served Act (P.L. 117-69).
Women's Health Research and Innovation.--The Committee is
aware of a new joint collaborative to improve women's health
research for service members and veterans that will develop a
roadmap to close pressing research gaps specific to women who
served in the military. Of the areas of research that will
benefit women veterans, the Committee notes that 80 percent of
patients diagnosed with an autoimmune disease are women. The
Committee encourages VA to engage with experts who are
researching autoimmune diseases in women veterans, including
myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and Gulf War
Illness. The Department requests a detailed report within 180
days of enactment of this Act on how the Department is
addressing and prioritizing research gaps and how it will
engage with nationally recognized experts on diseases that
impact women veterans.

WORKFORCE AND STAFFING ISSUES

Expanding Recruitment.--The Committee recognizes the
challenge the Department has in the recruitment and retention
of clinicians. To help the Department better keep pace with
other providers and continue to train its workforce to improve
their service to veterans, the Committee urges the Department
to explore potential options to enhance recruitment and
retention, such as expanding benefits to relocate to
underserved VA medical facilities and expanding reimbursement
to clinicians for Continuing Professional Education, regardless
of individual specialty or board certification.
Expedited Hiring Authority.--The Committee strongly
encourages the Department to focus hiring efforts on converting
clinical trainees to full VA employment immediately upon
completion of their residencies through the utilization of the
expedited hiring authority granted to VA by Title 38.
Staffing Report.--The Committee looks forward to the annual
comprehensive report required by the Joint Explanatory
Statement accompanying the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2022 (P.L. 117-103) on the Department's plan to address
critical workforce issues.
Staffing at Richard A. Pittman Community-Based Outpatient
Clinic.--The Committee celebrates the recent opening of the
Richard A. Pittman Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in San
Joaquin County, California. The Committee recognizes the
crucial role this clinic has in expanding primary care and
specialty health care services to veterans across California's
Central Valley. The Committee urges the Department to continue
meeting staffing requirements to ensure clinic operations are
not interrupted.
Sterile Processing Medical Supply Technician
Certification.--The Committee is aware that the Veterans Health
Administration recently updated its training and certification
requirements for certain Sterile Processing Services (SPS)
staff, bringing them more in line with those of leading
civilians healthcare organizations. The Committee is concerned
that only those serving as a VA medical facility's SPS Chief,
SPS Assistant Chief, and SPS supervisory positions must meet
those updated requirements. The Committee encourages the
Department to train and certify all SPS staff, especially those
doing the day-to-day work of sterilization.
VA/HHS Collaboration on Health Workforce Shortages.--The
Committee understands that one of the biggest hurdles in
retaining health care professionals within VA health care
system is the agency's ability to compete with market pay
rates. The Committee highlights the VA COMPETES Act, which
became law as a part of the Elizabeth Dole Act in 2025 and
allows the Secretary of VA to waive pay caps for physicians.
The Committee urges the Department to assess how pay caps are
contributing to physician shortages for key services and how
adjusting pay caps may alleviate these shortages.
VHA Physician Salaries.--The Committee understands that one
of the biggest hurdles in retaining health care professionals
within the VA health care system is the agency's ability to
compete with market pay rates. The Committee highlights the VA
COMPETES Act, which became law as a part of the Elizabeth Dole
Act in 2025 and allows the Secretary to waive pay caps for
physicians. The Committee urges the Department to assess how
pay caps are contributing to physician shortages for key
services and how adjusting pay caps may alleviate these
shortages.

MEDICAL COMMUNITY CARE

Fiscal year 2025 enacted level........................ $20,382,000,000
Fiscal year 2026 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 34,000,000,000
Committee 2027 advance appropriation recommendation... 38,700,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes an advance
appropriation of $38,700,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 for
Medical Community Care, of which $2,000,000,000 is available
until September 30, 2028.
Dystonia.--The Committee continues to note the connection
between traumatic brain injury (TBI) and dystonia. The
Committee requests a report within 90 days of enactment of this
Act on efforts to pursue collaborative opportunities with the
dystonia stakeholder community and related federal agencies.
Ground Ambulance Providers.--The Committee is concerned
that the Department is inadvertently disadvantaging veterans in
connection to reimbursement for ground ambulance services.
Specifically, under the Community Care Program, ground
ambulance providers are required to notify VA and seek approval
for payment within 72-hours. By contrast, veterans have a 30-
day window to notify VA of their receipt of emergency treatment
in a non-VA facility. This results in ground ambulance provider
claims being denied and the burden falls upon the veterans to
seek reimbursement. The Committee directs the Department to
provide a briefing within 90 days of enactment of this Act
regarding how the Department and its respective VISNs could
reduce the financial burden on veterans by reducing the number
of ground ambulance service claims that are denied for failure
to meet the 72-hour notification requirement but ultimately
comply with VA's coverage rules.
Long-Term Care for Veterans with Severe Traumatic Brain
Injury (TBI).--The Committee continues to note the increasing
prevalence of deployment-related traumatic brain injuries. This
increase continues to demonstrate the longstanding need for
providing adequate long-term specialty care for Veterans
suffering from severe TBIs. The Committee is encouraged by the
Department's progress in using agreements with non-VA providers
to ensure all Veterans receive such long-term specialty care in
their communities and encourages the Department to continue
entering into such agreements, to educate case managers on all
tools available to provide veterans with long-term specialty
care outside the VA system.

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND COMPLIANCE

Fiscal year 2025 enacted level........................ $11,800,000,000
Fiscal year 2026 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 12,700,000,000
Committee 2027 advance appropriation recommendation... 12,000,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes an advance
appropriation of $12,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 for
Medical Support and Compliance, of which $350,000,000 shall
remain available through September 30, 2028.
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA).--The
Committee recognizes that the current IGA pilot has failed to
earn authority to operate, therefore the Committee encourages
the Department explore alternative commercial IGA programs,
interoperable with CISA's CDM architecture with hybrid cloud
features.

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Fiscal year 2025 enacted level........................ $9,549,485,000
Fiscal year 2026 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 9,700,000,000
Committee 2027 advance appropriation recommendation... 11,700,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes an advance
appropriation of $11,700,000,000, for fiscal year 2027 for
Medical Facilities, of which $500,000,000 shall remain
available until September 30, 2027.
Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Bakersfield,
California.--The Committee remains disappointed that the new
Bakersfield CBOC remains unbuilt more than a decade after
Congress authorized this facility in fiscal year 2010 through
Public Law 111-82. The Committee directs the Secretary to
expeditiously execute Lease No. 36C10F20L0008 and, unless
prevented by an order issued by a federal or state court,
commence construction of the CBOC by no later than September
30, 2026, as provided in the lease. Furthermore, the Committee
directs the Secretary to provide monthly reports to the House
and Senate Committees on Appropriations on the CBOC's progress
until completion and activation. The Committee also directs the
Secretary to examine any lessons learned, determine what
additional actions can be taken by VA to complete this project,
and provide a briefing to the Committee focused on what
legislative remedies to the current situation exist and what
legislative actions are needed to ensure this situation never
happens again.
Food Pantry Program.--The Committee recognizes the success
of the Department's food pantry program in easing veteran
access to quality food and reducing stigma around veteran food
insecurity. The Committee understands the Department
collaborates with nonprofit organizations to identify potential
VA medical centers with the need and capacity for enrolling in
this program and encourages VA to ensure that at least one VA
medical center in a dense urban area offers food on-site. The
Committee directs VA to identify the additional funds necessary
to scale up the food pantry program.
Lactation Spaces at VA Facilities.--The Committee
recognizes the obstacles female veterans face when trying to
nurse their children in VA facilities. The Committee requests
VA ensures that each medical center contains a lactation space.
Medical Center Services.--The Committee reminds the
Department to ensure it consults with a wide variety of
stakeholders regarding any changes to services, hours, and
staffing prior to making changes and to ensure veterans are not
negatively affected.
Personal Protective Equipment.--The Committee encourages
the Department to prioritize the purchase of domestically
manufactured personal protective equipment in VA facilities.
Spend Plan.--The Committee expects the Department to
provide, not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act, an
expenditure plan detailing the planned use of the funds
provided. The Committee understands that some of the projects
planned for fiscal year 2026 may not be ready within that
timeframe, requiring an adjustment to the spending plan. The
Committee requests a quarterly update of the plan if the
funding for any single project changes by more than $3,000,000
during that time period.
VA Healthcare System Patient Communication Platform
Expansion.--The Committee is concerned about gaps in patient
communication and health education across the Department's
healthcare system, which can hinder veterans' access to timely,
relevant health information. The Committee encourages support
for the expansion and implementation of a comprehensive digital
communication platform at all VA facilities. This initiative
will deploy cloud-based content management systems deliver
veteran-specific health education, promote VA healthcare
initiatives, and improve patient engagement in real time.
Veterans Integrated Service Network Distribution.--The
Committee is interested in learning how the Veterans Integrated
Services Network (VISN) (1) determines patient service
catchment areas (2) assesses where to build new VA medical
centers, and (3) plans the distribution of VA medical centers
and outpatient clinics compared to the number of veterans in
each area. The Committee requests an update within 180 days of
enactment, that details the criteria used to determine how
various types of medical facilities including VAMCs and CBOCs
are distributed, and the distribution of VA medical facilities
given the number of veterans in each location.
Zero Water Laboratory Diagnostic Systems.--The Committee
remains concerned about cost savings for VA hospital
laboratories, and the need to increase water conservation
efforts as the U.S. continues to experience record-breaking
national disasters. The Committee supports the adaptation of
laboratory modernization by implementing little to no water
laboratory systems utilizing dry chemistry solutions for VA
Medical Centers and Community Based OutpatienClinics where
feasible.
Enhanced Transparency Requirements for Contractors of High-
Cost VA Hospital Projects.--The Committee is concerned about
the oversight and execution of select, high-cost construction
projects of VA Medical Facilities and VA Health Facilities, and
the impacts that lack of adequate contractor performance have
had on veteran patient experience at such facilities due to
construction or utility failures. The Committee therefore
directs the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of
Construction and Facilities Management (OCFM) to compile and
submit to the Committee, not later than 120 days after
enactment, a standardized requirement for an Enhanced
Transparency and Community Engagement Plan, which shall apply
to major VA construction projects with a total cost of or
exceeding $500 million, and all contractors who support
construction elements of such projects shall comply with.
Timely Construction of VA Medical Facilities.--The
Committee recognizes the critical importance of timely
completion of Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities
to ensure that veterans have access to the highest quality of
care possible. The Committee is aware that rising construction
costs have the potential to affect project delivery nationwide
and delay urgently needed infrastructure improvements.
Notwithstanding these rising costs, the Committee strongly
urges the Department to prioritize the expeditious construction
of all previously appropriated VA medical facility projects.
Accordingly, the Committee directs the Department to submit a
report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and
Senate not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act.
The report shall include a detailed cost comparison between the
original budget and current projections, an explanation of cost
increases, and a summary of cost containment strategies
implemented to mitigate further escalation and ensure
responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.
Audie Murphy Veterans Hospital Reconstruction.--The
Committee is aware that the Department of Veterans Affairs has
completed a feasibility study and has initiated an
Environmental Impact Statement to evaluate options for
replacing the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San
Antonio, Texas. The Committee continues to encourage the
Department to advance these efforts and to expedite planning
and development. Given the hospital's age, significant
infrastructure limitations, and the increasing demand for
services in one of the nation's largest veteran and active-duty
military populations, construction of a new, state-of-the-art
medical facility in San Antonio is critical. The Committee
directs the Department to submit a report to the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 90 days
after enactment of this Act detailing: (1) the status and
findings of the completed or ongoing feasibility study; (2) the
anticipated timeline for site selection; and (3) any
anticipated resource requirements necessary to support
replacement of the existing hospital.

Bridging Rental Assistance for Veteran Empowerment

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $- - -
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 970,000,000

The Committee supports the Department's effort to end
veteran homelessness and provides $970,000,000 for the Bridging
Rental Assistance for Veteran Empowerment (BRAVE). The
Committee recognizes legislative authority is required before
this initiative can get underway. The Committee directs monthly
updates as BRAVE moves towards implementation. Updates shall
include, but are not limited to, a spend plan on how resources
will be utilized, status of obtaining needed authorities, scope
and operations of the program, personnel needs to execute BRAVE
and anticipated roll out schedule.

MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $943,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 943,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $950,000,000 for
Medical and Prosthetic Research, available through September
30, 2026. The Committee appreciates the Department's plans to
focus on critical research areas that include environmental
exposures, traumatic brain injury, cancer and precision
oncology, and mental health.
In addition to this appropriation, resources from other
sources, including appropriations from the medical care
accounts, reimbursements from DOD, grants from the National
Institutes of Health, private sources, and voluntary
organizations, support the Department's researchers. The total
amount estimated available for fiscal year 2026 is
$1,400,000,000.
Advanced Platform Technology (APT) Center.--The Committee
recognizes the Department for progress being made to provide
veterans with new assistive and restorative technologies that
address sensory, motor, or cognitive deficits, as well as limb
loss. The APT Center has effectively utilized a partnership
model to leverage local and national research expertise to
drive progress in diverse areas including artificial lung
development, wound healing, and neural connected sensory
prosthesis. The Committee continues to support the APT Center's
efforts.
Endometriosis.--The Committee directs the Department to
ensure its research program adequately addresses the unique
needs and concerns of veterans with endometriosis. The
Committee encourages VA to prioritize endometriosis research to
expand basic, clinical, and translational research into the
mechanics of endometriosis, identify early diagnostic markets,
and develop new treatment methods.
Gulf War Illness Studies.--The Committee recommends the
Department continue to conduct epidemiological studies
regarding the prevalence of Gulf War Illness, morbidity, and
mortality in Persian Gulf War veterans and the development of
effective treatments, preventions, and cures. The Department is
encouraged to make the findings of all research conducted by or
for the Executive Branch publicly available as soon as possible
and continue to publish disease-specific mortality data related
specifically to Persian Gulf War veterans.
Herbicide-Related Toxic Exposure Research.--To understand
the residual effects of Agent Orange, dioxins, and other
herbicide-related toxic exposures, the Committee urges the
Department to utilize reference data from existing medical
records of veterans who served in Vietnam, Thailand, Guam, the
Northern Mariana Islands, America Samoa, and other geographic
areas where these toxic substances were dispersed to determine
the percentage who have frequent or unexplained diseases
compared to the civilian population.
Limb Loss.--The Committee commends the Department's work
with veterans living with limb loss, particularly its support
of programs that engage amputees to become certified peer
visitors for other veterans. However, the Committee continues
to note that veterans fall through the cracks, as highlighted
in the House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing ``Life After
Limb Loss: Examining VA Amputee Prosthetics Care, due to a lack
of specific resources provided for care coordination''. The
Committee supports the Department expanding their efforts to
reach all veteran amputees across the country and to strengthen
its current program by providing enhanced care coordination
services.
Metastatic Cancer Research.--The Committee supports the
Department's work to achieve therapeutic advances that extend
the life of metastatic cancer survivors, including through
clinical trials that treat patients with diverse types of
cancer, demographics, and genetics, and recognizes more studies
are required to develop a comprehensive understanding of this
complex process. The 2018 Department of Defense report to
Congress on the Metastatic Cancer Task Force noted there are
few active duty servicemembers with metastatic cancer because
they are medically retired prior to metastasis, while the
Department's FY25 budget justification notes that there were
more than 51,000 new cases of metastasis among veterans in
2017. The Committee directs the Department to conduct a study
assessing the correlation between service in the military,
including types of service and exposure to different toxins or
environments, and veterans' likelihood of a metastatic cancer
diagnosis, and directs the Department to continue to increase
veterans' participation. The Committee requests that the Fiscal
Year 2027 budget justification include an update on its
progress on the issue.
National Intrepid Center of Excellence (NICoE).--The
Committee recognizes the high-quality mental health care and
neurological research being conducted at the NICoE and urges
the Department to expand its work with NICoE to strengthen VA's
research capacity. The Committee continues to encourage the
Department to pursue new collaborative initiatives with NICoE,
consider public academic medical centers as partners in such
efforts, and assist DOD-wide efforts to optimize research to
implement solutions and deliver better health outcomes for
veterans.
PFAS Research and Testing.--The Committee encourages the
Department to employ the most accurate per-and polyfluoroalkyl
substances (PFAS) testing methods to ensure comprehensive and
reliable results in its scientific assessment of the
relationship between PFAS exposure during military service and
kidney cancer among veterans. As PFAS comprises over 12,000
chemicals and scientific understanding of their health impact
is growing, advanced blood testing methods including additional
analytes, more in line with the CDC NHANES 18 analyte panel,
would enable the Department to detect a broader range of PFAS
compounds that veterans encountered during service, providing
more comprehensive data to evaluate. Further, current clinical
guidelines from the National Academies of Science, Engineering,
and Medicine have identified 9 PFAS compounds that impact human
health. Blood testing methods that include these 9 PFAS
analytes must be the minimum standard for VA to detect PFAS
compounds that veterans encountered during service and evaluate
establishing kidney cancer as a presumptive condition.
Research Using Animals.--The Department is directed to
include in any report to Congress describing animal research
approved under section 247 in division A of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42), submitted after the
date of filing of this report, details on the specific
alternatives to animals that were considered, why those
alternatives were not chosen, and an explanation for why these
animal subjects were the only viable option for this research.
The Committee looks forward to the Department fully
implementing its plan to curtail the research conducted using
canines, felines, or non-human primates by 2026 and directs the
Department to not approve any new animal research that would
not be complete before 2026.
Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer.--The Committee urges
the Secretary to prioritize efforts to determine whether
cholangiocarcinoma diagnoses among Vietnam-era veterans are
connected to service-related exposure to liver fluke parasites.
The Committee recognizes that emerging research suggests a
potential link between liver fluke infection and the later
development of cholangiocarcinoma. The Committee directs the
Department to report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations within 180 days of enactment of this Act on
steps taken to review existing evidence, update claims
adjudication guidance if necessary, and enhance outreach to
potentially impacted Vietnam-era veterans.

Medical Care Collections Fund

The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Care Collections
Fund (MCCF) was established by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997
(P.L. 105-33). The Department deposits first-party and pharmacy
co-payments, third-party insurance payments and enhanced-use
collections, long-term care co-payments, Compensated Work
Therapy Program collections, Compensation and Pension Living
Expenses Program collections, and Parking Program fees into the
MCCF. The Department uses these funds for medical care and
services to veterans. The estimate of fees that will be
collected in fiscal year 2026 is $4,580,000,000.

National Cemetery Administration

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $480,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 497,000,000

The Committee recommends $497,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
NCA should prioritize maintaining the current level of services
at existing cemeteries and activating new cemeteries to
increase burial access. In addition, the bill includes language
making ten percent of the total available until September 30,
2027.
Assessing the National Cemetery Administration's Population
Data Collection Methodology.--The Committee is concerned that
the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) may not be fully
leveraging all available data sources to effectively target
underserved veteran populations for cemetery services. To
ensure underserved veteran populations have access to cemetery
services, the Committee encourages NCA to explore utilizing
U.S. Census Bureau data into its methodologies for estimating
and tracking served and unserved veteran populations, as
suggested in Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report GAO-
19-121. The Committee requests an update not later than 180
days of the enactment of this Act on prospective new
methodologies for collecting veteran population data. The
update should include an examination of the utility and
feasibility of incorporating U.S. Census Bureau data to either
replace or supplement the NCA's current county-based
methodology and include calculated percentages of confidence
levels for all methodologies.
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery Veterans Day Community
Remembrance.--The Committee reaffirms its unwavering commitment
to honoring the service and sacrifice of America's veterans by
strongly supporting the upkeep and dignified maintenance of our
national cemeteries. These sacred grounds must be preserved not
only as final resting places but as enduring symbols of
gratitude where families and communities can reflect on the
legacy of those who served. The Committee recognizes the
importance of maintaining national traditions that honor
veterans, including the annual Veterans Day commemoration at
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, a vital event that
reinforces our nation's promise to never forget.
Identifying Unknown Remains of Veterans.--For eight
decades, unidentified remains of veterans have been interred at
the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP). Efforts
to identify these remains have been ongoing, including the
collection of DNA family reference samples. Advancements in
forensic genetic genealogy (FGG) analysis enable the
identification of previously unidentified human remains, even
those dating back centuries. The Committee recognizes that the
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) at the
Department of Justice, formally authorized by the Help Find the
Missing Act (P.L. 117-327), has successfully identified
hundreds of previously unidentified sets of human remains by
leveraging FGG DNA testing technology in partnership with
accredited private laboratories. The Committee provides
$1,500,000 to partner with a private laboratory to utilize FGG
sequencing technology to identify the remains of fallen
soldiers buried at NMCP. The Committee further directs the
Department to produce an annual report to Congress that tracks
the samples analyzed, the types of DNA technology deployed, and
the time elapsed to produce an identification.

Departmental Administration

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $475,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 450,000,000

The General Administration account provides funds for the
Office of the Secretary, the General Counsel, six Assistant
Secretaries, and two Department-level staff offices.
The Committee recommendation includes $450,000,000 for
General Administration.
The Committee has included bill language to make available
through September 30, 2027, up to ten percent of these funds
and to permit the transfer of funds in this account to the
General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration
account.
Additional Budgetary Information.--The Committee continues
its request that items described in previous House reports
continue to be included in the budget justifications submitted
each year. Further, the Committee directs the Department to
include in its budget justification materials a table for each
account that shows a five-year funding history for requested
and enacted levels.
Data Governance Analytics.--The Committee continues to
support the work carried out by the Department's Office of
Enterprise Integration for the continuous improvement of
veterans' access and outcomes throughout their lifetimes, as
outlined in VA Data Strategy. VA, as a learning enterprise,
should manage, integrate, and consolidate its various data
sources to ensure its data of highest quality and is used to
support operational decision making. As such, the Committee
encourages OEI to further coordinate enterprise-wide efforts to
manage VA data as a strategic asset, in order to enhance
veterans' insights and to strengthen VA's delivery of services
and benefits to veterans, their families, survivors, and
caregivers.
Delays With Board of Veterans Appeals.--The Committee is
concerned about ongoing delays veterans and their families
experience before the Board of Veterans Appeals, often causing
years-long wait times for final adjudication and resolution of
claims. Within the funds provided, the Committee urges VA to
prioritize hiring the staff necessary to allow the efficient
process of the Board's current inventory of cases.
Modernization of Financial and Acquisition Systems.--The
Committee is concerned that the Department's current approach
to modernizing its financial and acquisition systems through
the Financial Management and Business Transformation (FMBT)
program has thus far yielded little progress and encourages
evaluation of a new approach. Therefore, the Committee directs
the Department to provide a report of the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations within 90 days of enactment of
this Act that includes an analysis to determine if a viable
path forward exists to procure and deploy a flexible,
modernized acquisition system, independent of the financial
system modernization efforts and ensure that any effort to move
in this direction includes an analysis of alternatives and the
evaluation of secure FedRAMP authorized technologies.
Quarterly Financial Information Reports.--The bill includes
an administrative provision that extends the requirement for
submission of the quarterly financial information required in
the fiscal year 2017 bill and conference report.
Staff Relocations Within VA.--The bill continues the
administrative provision requiring written notification 15 days
prior to organizational changes that result in the transfer of
25 or more full-time equivalent staff from one organizational
unit of the Department to another.

BOARD OF VETERANS APPEALS

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $287,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 287,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $287,000,000 for the
Board of Veterans Appeals. Ten percent of this funding is
available through September 30, 2027.
VA Board of Appeals Backlog.--Congress has provided funding
increases to enable the Department to hire the staff, acquire
the technology, and change work processes necessary to
significantly reduce the appeals backlog. The Committee is
concerned that despite these investments, the Board of
Veterans' Appeals has not adequately addressed the backlog of
veterans waiting for a decision and that the inventory of
pending appeals cannot be depleted with the Board of Veterans'
Appeals' current policies and procedures. The Committee directs
the Department to prioritize the processing of appeals and to
submit a plan not later than 90 days after the enactment of
this Act detailing a strategy to clear the backlog of cases
within 36 months.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $6,401,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 5,882,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $5,882,000,000 for
Information Technology Systems. Within the account total, the
Committee allocates $1,350,000,000 for pay and associated
costs; $4,413,000,000 for operations and maintenance; and
$118,900,000 for activations.
The bill makes available three percent of pay and
associated costs and five percent of operations and maintenance
funds until September 30, 2027. All development funds are
available until September 30, 2027.
The Committee continues to include bill language permitting
the transfer of funding among the three subaccounts upon
approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress.
The bill also continues language allowing for the
reprogramming of funds among development projects upon approval
by the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
The Committee continues to include bill language limiting
the funds available for information technology systems
development to the projects and in the amounts specified in the
report. The bill limits the amount of funds that can be
transferred into the IT account to ten percent of the total of
either the source or destination account. The bill contains
language that permits the reprogramming of funds among
development projects upon prior notification to, and approval
by, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress.
The Committee expects the Office of Information and
Technology (OIT) to continue to provide an IT expenditure
report to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress on a monthly basis. This report should include a
comparison to the project costs included in the development
funding chart above and provide an explanation for any
differences in excess of $3,000,000.
Benefits Technology Platform.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of simplifying and accelerating the security of the
important benefits veterans have earned. To improve this
process, the Committee directs the Secretary to adopt a
technology platform that assists veterans in the challenges
faced when navigating available benefits. Of the funds provided
under this heading, up to $4,000,000 may be used to partner
with an outside vendor to implement a software solution that
leverages artificial intelligence and automation to assist
veterans in navigating the benefits lifecycle, including
application, appeals, and service connection processes.
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) Commercial
Pilot Program.--The Committee understands the current IGA pilot
has failed to earn authority to operate. The Committee
recommends the Department explore alternative commercial IGA
pilot programs, interoperable with CISA's CDM architecture with
hybrid cloud features.
IT Asset Management.--The Committee is aware of
improvements made by the Office of Information Technology to
the Department's IT software and hardware asset management
practices and systems, which are producing significant annual
cost savings, ensuring more accurate baseline inventories of
assets owned, and improving the Department's ability to measure
the total cost of ownership of IT assets and applications. The
Committee encourages the Department to continue replicating
this success across all software and hardware portfolios, and
to ensure all software and hardware assets are accurately
reflected in the system throughout their full lifecycles, from
the time of acquisition through final disposal.

VETERANS ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $1,322,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 2,515,893,000

The bill includes $2,515,893,000 for Veterans Electronic
Health Record. This increase reflects additional deployments
and focus on current site optimization, sustaining
infrastructure, and supporting 19 live sites. It also assumes
costs for activities related to the development and rollout of
VA's Electronic Health Record Modernization (EHRM) initiative,
the associated contractual costs, and the salaries and expenses
of employees hired under titles 5 and 38, United States Code.
This account is intended to be the single source of funding
within VA for the electronic health record effort. No authority
is provided for funds from other VA accounts to be transferred
into this account nor for funds from this account to be
transferred out to other accounts.
The bill continues language requiring the Secretary to
submit a quarterly report to the Committees on Appropriations
of both Houses of Congress detailing obligations, expenditures,
and deployment strategy by facility. The Department is directed
to continue quarterly briefings on performance milestones,
costs, and changes to implementation and management plans, and
to provide an accurate up-to-date deployment schedule prior to
each quarterly briefing. Additionally, the Committee directs
the Department to provide updates on plans and efforts to
integrate community care providers into the new EHR system.
Such updates should be submitted concurrently with the
quarterly reports.
In addition, bill language is included that makes 25
percent of the total funding available contingent upon the
Secretary providing notice to and receiving approval from the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of any
changes to the deployment schedule, as well as an updated plan
outlining benchmarks and measurable metrics for deployment and
an updated plan for addressing all required infrastructure
upgrades. The Committee also urges the Department to notify the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress if
there are any staffing challenges in go-live preparation and
implementation at VA medical centers.
The Committee repeats the fiscal year 2019 directive for
GAO to perform quarterly performance reviews of the electronic
health record deployment. It is expected that this quarterly
report will provide the Committees and VA with timely
information to properly oversee this effort and address
important issues.
VistA as a Service.--As the Veterans Health Administration
continues transitioning from the legacy Veterans Health
Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA)
Electronic Health Record (EHR) System to the Oracle Health/
Cerner Millennium EHR solution, the Department must continue to
sustain, maintain, and evolve the existing VistA
infrastructure. Assuming no further delays, the full deployment
of the new EHR system is not expected until 2031, leaving
patient care, services and many Veterans Integrated Service
Networks (VISNs) on the later end of the implementation
schedule reliant on the legacy VistA EHR several more years.
Maintaining the legacy EHR while deployment of the new
system is ongoing has proven to be labor intensive, requiring
significant manpower and financial investment in a tight
budgetary environment. The Committee believes the Department
can reduce manpower, costs, and streamline maintenance efforts
by leveraging a model similar to that used by Department of
Defense in its EHR modernization program. DoD is efficiently
utilizing private sector system integrators to maintain and
sustain the legacy system as a service while deployment of the
new system is undertaken. In doing so, the Department would
also be able to divert much needed, experienced Office of
Information and Technology (OI&T) staff to the Federal EHR
deployment of the new system. The Committee urges the
Department to assess the feasibility of adopting and
implementing a ``VistA as a Service'' model for the maintenance
and sustainment of the legacy EHRM system.
Contractor Accountability.--The Committee expects the
Department to hold its contractors accountable. The Department
is expected to work closely with Oracle Cerner to resolve
usability problems and dramatically improve training to ensure
that when deployments restart the new system can be adopted
easily by clinicians and healthcare staff.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $296,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 295,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $295,000,000 for
fiscal year 2026 for the Office of the Inspector General. The
bill makes up to ten percent of this funding available until
September 30, 2027.
The Committee continues to request robust oversight of the
Electronic Health Record Modernization initiative and medical
community care claims.

CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR PROJECTS

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025..................... $961,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026.......... 1,750,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $1,750,000,000 for
Construction, Major Projects for fiscal year 2026 which shall
remain available until September 30, 2030. The Committee
supports the Department's efforts for projects in St. Louis, MO
and Riverside, CA. While supportive, the Committee requests
further information on plans to utilize resources to support
homeless affordable housing in West Los Angeles and New
Hampshire.
As required by language that is in permanent law, all major
construction projects costing more than $100,000,000 must be
managed by a non-VA government entity, such as the Army Corps
of Engineers. While the Committee no longer duplicates this
language, the Committee intends to continue its oversight of
the quality of the outside entity management and expects to
receive quarterly briefings on each of the large construction
projects.
Construction Reports.--The Committee continues to request
the Department provide quarterly briefings on the progress and
cost of each facility managed by an outside entity. Several
additional bill language provisions are included to enhance the
Committee's capacity to conduct oversight of VA's facility
construction efforts including: (1) no funding greater than
$7,000,000 may be reprogrammed between construction projects
unless approved by the Committees on Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress; (2) any change to the scope of a
construction project is prohibited without the approval of the
Committees; and (3) VA must report any bid savings of
$5,000,000 or more on projects as soon as they are identified.
The Committee does not provide transfer authority between
twelve VA appropriations and for funds to be transferred to
major or minor construction to be made available for five
years.
To enhance the Committee's capacity to conduct oversight on
VA's facility construction efforts, several administrative
provisions are continued in the bill: (1) No funding amount
greater than $7,000,000 may be reprogrammed between
construction projects unless approved by the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress; (2) any change to
the scope of a construction project is not permitted without
the approval of the Committees; and (3) VA must report any bid
savings of $5,000,000 or more on projects as soon as they are
identified.

CONSTRUCTION, MINOR PROJECTS

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $692,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 232,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $232,000,000 for
Construction, Minor Project for fiscal year 2026, of which
$200,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2030,
and $32,000,000 shall remain available until expended.
Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System's Master Plan.--The
Committee continues to encourage the Department to engage with
the Principal Developer Team responsible for the Greater Los
Angles Health Care System's Master Plan and support the
operationalization of the Master Plan.

GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF STATE EXTENDED CARE FACILITIES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $171,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 171,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $171,000,000 for
fiscal year 2026 for Grants for Construction of State Extended
Care Facilities. A grant may not exceed 65 percent of the total
cost of the project. The bill makes this funding available
until expended.
Cost of Care for Veterans' Homes.--The Committee is
concerned with the current reimbursement rate for state and
non-profit run Veterans' Homes. The Committee recognizes that
the costs associated with Veterans' Homes are substantial due
to the high acuity level of the veteran population served, and
that current VHA rates are inconsistent with the current cost
of care. The Committee directs VHA to submit a report, no later
than 90 days following the adoption of this bill, outlining how
current reimbursement rates are calculated, how VHA makes
locality adjustments, how the VHA works to reduce the cost of
prescription drugs for veterans in homes, and recommended
legislative changes for Congress to consider.
Duplicative State Veterans Home Surveys.--The Committee
recognizes that State Veterans Homes undergo annual inspection
surveys from the Department of Veterans Affairs and that many
undergo an additional and separate, yet nearly identical,
survey from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This
practice is disruptive to the veterans and financially
inefficient. The Committee encourages VA, in coordination with
CMS, to review this practice and provide a report on whether or
not this process could be streamlined by conducting only one
survey.
Grants for Construction of State Extended Care Facilities
Backlog.--The Committee recognizes the Department of Veterans
Affairs is experiencing a nearly $2 billion backlog in
identified priority grant projects, and that an increase in
resources is required to ensure that State Veterans Homes can
continue to serve their vital role for low-income veterans and
those wishing to spend their final years housed and cared for
among fellow veterans. The Committee directs the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to brief the Committee no later than August
31, 2025, on the criteria used to prioritize backlogged
projects and existing procedural challenges that could impede
the execution of funds required to clear the backlog.

GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF VETERANS CEMETERIES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $60,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 60,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $60,000,000 for
Grants for Construction of Veterans Cemeteries. The bill makes
this funding available until expended.

COST OF WAR TOXIC EXPOSURES FUND

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025..................... $28,800,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026.......... 52,676,000,000

The bill provides $52,676,000,000 for the Cost of War Toxic
Exposures Fund (TEF) veterans medical care related to toxic
exposures.
Congressional Commitment to the PACT Act.--The enactment of
the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act
(PACT Act) resulted in the largest expansion of veterans
benefits in a generation, providing healthcare and benefits for
veterans who were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other
toxic substances during their military service. The PACT Act
created the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) which
provides mandatory funding for the delivery of health care and
benefits for impacted veterans. The Committee remains committed
to providing full funding to the Department in order to ensure
successful implementation the PACT Act.
PACT Act Incremental Costs.--The Committee directs the
Department to include in its fiscal year 2027 and all future
budget justification materials a detailed description of the
incremental costs for implementation of the PACT Act for all
requested funds on an account-by-account basis.
Advance Funding for Veterans Medical Care From the Cost of
War Toxic Exposures Fund.--For 15 years, the Committee has
fulfilled its commitment to fully fund veterans medical care in
full and to the best of the Committee's ability, one full year
in advance. Three years ago, the PACT Act established the Cost
of War Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) as a dedicated source of
additional funding to address the increased demand on services
at and provided by VA as a result of the promises made in that
law, including but not limited to increases in the necessary
resources for veterans medical care. Consistent with the
Committee's historical commitment to fully fund veterans
medical care in advance and the promises made in the PACT Act,
the bill includes advance appropriations of $51,742,000,000 for
fiscal year 2027 in the TEF, which is intended to be allocated
consistent with the budget request for Medical Services,
Medical Community Care, and Medical Support and Compliance.

Administrative Provisions

The bill includes 61 administrative provisions. The
administrative provisions included in the bill are as follows:
Section 201. Allows for the transfer of funds among three
mandatory appropriations. The Administration proposal to modify
this provision is not adopted.
Section 202. Allows the Department to transfer funding
among the four medical appropriations accounts in fiscal year
2026. The Administration proposal to modify this provision is
not adopted.
Section 203. Allows for salaries and expenses funds to be
used for hire of passenger vehicles, lease of facilities or
land, and purchase of uniforms.
Section 204. Provides that only funding in ``Construction,
Major Projects'' and ``Construction, Minor Projects'' can be
used for the purchase of any site for any new hospital or home
or to construct any new hospital or home.
Section 205. Requires the Department to be reimbursed for
medical services it provides to any person not defined as a
beneficiary to ensure the Department is receiving payment for
all medical services provided.
Section 206. Allows for the use of funds appropriated in
fiscal year 2026 for ``Compensation and Pensions'',
``Readjustment Benefits'', and ``Veterans Insurance and
Indemnities'' for payment of accrued obligations recorded in
the last quarter of fiscal year 2025.
Section 207. Allows for the use of fiscal year 2026 funds
to pay prior year obligations resulting from implementation of
sections 3328(a), 3334, and 3712(a) of title 31, United States
Code.
Section 208. Allows the Department to use surplus earnings
from the national service life insurance, U.S. Government life
insurance, and veterans' special life insurance program to
administer these programs.
Section 209. Allows enhanced-use lease proceeds deducted
for administrative expenses that were incurred in a prior
fiscal year to be available until expended.
Section 210. Limits the amount of reimbursement the Office
of Resolution Management, the Office of Employment
Discrimination Complaint Adjudication, and the Alternative
Dispute Resolution function within the Office of Human
Resources and Administration can charge other offices and
accounts of the Department for services provided.
Section 211. Requires the Department to collect current and
accurate third-party reimbursement information for the purposes
of third-party insurance collections. If persons receiving care
or medical services do not disclose this information, the
Department is allowed to bill them reasonable charges for
services provided.
Section 212. Allows the Department to use enhanced-use
lease funds for construction and alteration of medical
facilities.
Section 213. Allows the Department to use the Medical
Services appropriation for expenses related to the broader
mission of medical care to veterans.
Section 214. Allows the Department to transfer Medical Care
Collections to the ``Medical Services'' and ``Medical Community
Care'' accounts to be used for veterans medical care and makes
those funds available until expended.
Section 215. Allows veterans who reside in Alaska to obtain
medical services from medical facilities supported by the
Indian Health Service or tribal organizations, and provides for
reimbursement for those services from VA.
Section 216. Allows the Department to transfer the proceeds
received from the transfer of real property deposited into the
VA Capital Asset Fund to the Major and Minor Construction
appropriations accounts and makes those funds available until
expended.
Section 217. Requires the Secretary to submit quarterly
reports to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress on the financial status of the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
Section 218. Prohibits the Department from increasing total
resources of the Information Technology appropriation by more
than ten percent by transferring funding from the other VA
accounts and requires the Department to receive approval from
the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress
before such transfer. The Administration proposal to modify
this provision is not adopted.
Section 219. Provides up to $739,918,000 of fiscal year
2026 funds for transfer to the Joint DOD-VA Medical Facility
Demonstration Fund. Additional funding may be transferred from
these accounts upon written notification to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
Section 220. Permits the transfer of $664,625,000 of fiscal
year 2026 funding appropriated for medical accounts to the
Joint DOD-VA Medical Facility Demonstration Fund for the
operation of facilities designated as combined Federal medical
facilities.
Section 221. Permits the transfer of funds deposited in the
Medical Care Collections Fund to the Joint DOD-VA Medical
Facility Demonstration Fund for facilities designated as
combined Federal medical facilities.
Section 222. Directs that a minimum of $15,000,000 shall be
transferred from the four medical care appropriations to the
Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Health
Care Sharing Incentive Fund, to be available until expended.
Section 223. Requires the Secretary to notify the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of all
bid savings when identified in Major Construction projects that
total at least $5,000,000 or five percent of the programmed
amount of the project.
Section 224. Prohibits the original scope of work for a
Major Construction project from being increased above the scope
specified for that project in the original justification data
provided to Congress unless approved by the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
Section 225. Requires a quarterly report from each VBA
regional office on pending disability claims, both initial and
supplemental; error rates; the number of claims processing
personnel; corrective actions taken; training programs; and
review team audit results. In addition, the bill requires
quarterly reporting on pending appeals at VBA, as well as BVA.
The Administration proposal to delete this provision is not
adopted.
Section 226. Requires advance written notification to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 15 days
prior to organizational changes which result in the transfer of
25 or more full-time equivalent staff from one organizational
unit to another. The Administration proposal to delete this
provision is not adopted.
Section 227. Requires the Secretary to provide, on a
quarterly basis to the Committees on Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress, notification of any single national
outreach and awareness marketing campaign in which obligations
exceed $1,000,000.
Section 228. Permits the transfer to ``Medical Services''
from any discretionary program except ``General Operating
Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration'' upon approval of
the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
This provision is intended to give VA flexibility as it
administers the changes to its traditional healthcare program
and the MISSION Act.
Section 229. Permits the transfer of funds between the
``Board of Veterans Appeals'' and ``General Operating Expenses,
Veterans Benefits Administration'' upon approval of the
Appropriations Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress.
Section 230. Prohibits the reprogramming of funds exceeding
$7,000,000 among the Major Construction projects unless the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress approve
the request.
Section 231. Requires the Secretary to ensure that the
toll-free suicide hotline provides immediate assistance from a
trained professional and adheres to all requirements of the
American Association of Suicidology.
Section 232. Requires the Department to use the mammography
screening guidelines announced by the Secretary on May 10,
2017, through January 1, 2026.
Section 233. Allows the use of Medical Services funding for
assisted reproductive technology treatment and adoption
reimbursement for veterans and their spouses.
Section 234. Prohibits any funds from being used in a
manner that is inconsistent with statutory limitations on
outsourcing.
Section 235. Pertains to exceptions for Indian- or Native
Hawaiian-owned businesses contracting with the Department.
Section 236. Directs the elimination over a series of years
of the use of Social Security numbers in VA programs.
Section 237. References the provision in the Continuing
Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response
and Preparedness Act (P.L. 114-223) pertaining to certification
of marriage and family therapists.
Section 238. Prohibits funds from being used to transfer
funding from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to
any other VA account.
Section 239. Permits funding to be used in fiscal years
2025 and 2026 to carry out and expand the childcare pilot
program authorized by section 205 of the Caregivers and
Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-163).
Section 240. Prohibits the Department from using funds to
enter into an agreement to resolve a dispute or claim with an
individual that would restrict the individual from speaking to
Members of Congress or their staff on any topic, except those
required to be kept secret in the interest of national defense
or the conduct of foreign affairs.
Section 241. References language in the Continuing
Appropriations and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2017, and Zika Response
and Preparedness Act (P.L. 114-223) requiring certain data to
be included in budget justifications for major construction
projects.
Section 242. Prohibits the use of funds to deny the
Inspector General timely access to information unless a
provision of law expressly refers to the Inspector General and
expressly limits such access.
Section 243. Prohibits funding from being used in a manner
that would increase wait times for veterans at medical
facilities.
Section 244. Prohibits the use of funds in fiscal year 2026
to convert any program that received specific purpose funds in
fiscal year 2026 to a general purpose-funded program without
the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress at least 30 days prior to any such action. The
Administration request to delete this provision is not adopted.
Section 245. Language regarding verification of service for
coastwise merchant seamen.
Section 246. Language regarding the use of canines,
felines, and non-human primates in VA research.
Section 247. Includes language regarding staffing ratios.
Section 248. Allows fiscal year 2026 and 2027 ``Medical
Community Care'' funds to be used to cover obligations that
would have otherwise been paid by the Veterans Choice Fund.
Section 249. Allowing obligations and expenditures
applicable to the ``Medical Services'' account in fiscal years
2017 through 2019 for aid to state homes to remain in the
``Medical Community Care'' account for such fiscal years.
Section 250. Specifies an amount from the four medical care
accounts for gender-specific care for women.
Section 251. Language regarding a community-based
outpatient clinic in Bakersfield, California.
Section 252. Requires quarterly reports on the status of
the ``Veterans Medical Care and Health Fund,'' established to
execute section 8002 of the American Rescue Plan (P.L. 117-2).
Section 253. Establishes a timeline for construction in
accordance with a lease.
Section 254. Language regarding the use of unobligated
balances to support construction projects in the CHIP-IN
program.
Section 255. Prohibits federal funding for abortions except
in cases of incest, rape, or life of the mother and prohibiting
federal funding to implement the Department of Veterans
Affairs' Interim Final Rule on abortion.
Section 256. Prohibits federal funding for hormone
therapies or surgeries for gender-affirming care.
Section 257. Language prohibiting federal funding for
administering, implementing, or enforcing the final rule issued
by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs related to special modes
of transportation (88 Fed. Reg. 10032).
Section 258. Prohibits federal funds for carrying out the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Veterans Health
Administration Health Care Personnel (VHA Directive 11903).
Section 259. Includes language in the eligibility for
certain healthcare.
Section 260. Prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
use federal funding to report a person who is deemed mentally
incapacitated, mentally incompetent, or to be experiencing an
extended loss of consciousness who has been adjudicated as a
mental defective, without the order or finding a judge,
magistrate, or other judicial authority that a person is in
danger to himself or herself or others.
Section 261. Includes a rescission of funds.

TITLE III

RELATED AGENCIES

American Battle Monuments Commission

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $158,630,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 106,000,000

The recommendation includes $106,000,000 for Salaries and
Expenses of the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC).
Identifying Improperly Buried Servicemembers.--The
Committee recommendation includes $500,000 for ABMC to award a
contract for the purpose of researching and identifying
American-Jewish servicemembers buried at American military
cemeteries who were buried under markers incorrectly
representing their religion and heritage. The research should
also include identifying surviving next of kin of these
servicemembers. The ABMC should prioritize making an award to
an organization with a demonstrated capability and expertise in
conducting such research and identification activities. The
Committee requests a report within 180 days of enactment of
this Act on progress towards identifying incorrect markers for
American-Jewish servicemembers, timeline for completion, and
expected future funding requirements.
ABMC Mission.--The Committee requests that ABMC submit to
the Committee on Appropriations a report not later than 90 days
after enactment of the Act on the role of remembrance
activities including facilitating flower orders for families of
the fallen in its mission and the reason for any changes to
that role and in its mission over time.

FOREIGN CURRENCY FLUCTUATIONS ACCOUNT

The recommendation includes such sums as necessary for the
Foreign Currency Fluctuations Account (FCFA). The Foreign
Currency Fluctuations account addresses exchange rate
imbalances between the U.S. Dollar, the European Euro, and
other foreign currencies. If exchange rates change at time of
expenditure, funds from FCFA are transferred to Salaries and
Expenses.

United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $47,200,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 49,000,000

The recommendation includes $49,000,000 for Salaries and
Expenses for the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans
Claims.

Department of Defense--Civil

Cemeterial Expenses, Army

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $98,800,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 115,000,000

The recommendation includes $115,000,000 for Salaries and
Expenses for Arlington National Cemetery.
Virtual Tours.--The Committee appreciates the on-going
efforts of Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) to improve the
interactive tools available to visitors and understands ANC is
currently working to create a three-dimensional virtual tour to
improve the visitor experience.

Armed Forces Retirement Home

TRUST FUND

The recommendation includes a total of $70,520,000 for the
Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) Trust Fund, including
$1,000,000 for capital projects and $25,000,000 from the
general fund of the Treasury.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $43,060,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 44,520,000

The Committee makes these operation and maintenance funds
available until September 30, 2027 to provide AFRH greater
ability to respond to emergency situations and ensure stable
operations.

CAPITAL PROGRAM

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $8,940,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ 1,000,000

Capital Maintenance Spending Plan.--The Committee directs
AFRH to provide, not later than 30 days after enactment of this
Act, an expenditure plan detailing the planned use of the funds
provided for construction and renovation. The Committee
continues to direct AFRH to prioritize completing projects that
are currently underway.

MAJOR CONSTRUCTION

Appropriation, fiscal year 2025....................... $31,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2026............ - - -

The Committee reminds Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRM)
to provide quarterly reports on the status of construction
projects, including obligations of funds, anticipated
timelines, and any changes to the overall cost of the project.
Public Law 119-4 included $31,000,000 to complete the Sheridan
Building renovation project.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION

The bill includes section 301 permitting funds from
concessions at Army National Military Cemeteries to be used to
support activities at the Cemeteries.

TITLE IV

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 401. The bill includes language prohibiting the
obligation of funds beyond the current fiscal year unless
expressly so provided.
Section 402. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds for programs, projects, or activities not in
compliance with Federal law relating to risk assessment, the
protection of private property rights, or unfunded mandates.
Section 403. The bill includes language encouraging all
departments and agencies funded in this Act to expand the use
of ``E-Commerce'' technologies and procedures.
Section 404. The bill includes language specifying the
Congressional committees that are to receive all reports and
notifications.
Section 405. The bill includes language prohibiting the
transfer of funds to any instrumentality of the United States
Government without authority from an appropriations Act.
Section 406. The bill includes language prohibiting any
funds in this Act to be used for a project or program named for
an individual serving as a Member, Delegate, or Resident
Commissioner of the United States House of Representatives.
Section 407. The bill includes language requiring all
reports submitted to Congress to be posted on official websites
of the submitting agency.
Section 408. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds to establish or maintain a computer network unless
such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of
pornography, except for law enforcement investigation,
prosecution, or adjudication activities.
Section 409. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds for payment of first-class travel by an employee of
the executive branch.
Section 410. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds in this Act for any contract where the contractor has
not complied with E-Verify requirements.
Section 411. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds in this Act to construct facilities on military
installations that do not meet resiliency standards.
Section 412. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds in this Act for the renovation, expansion, or
construction of any facility in the continental United States
for the purposes of housing any individual who has been
detained at the United States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba.
Section 413. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds to support or defeat legislation pending before
Congress.
Section 414. The bill includes language requiring a study
on the prevalence and mortality of certain cancers of
individuals who served active-duty aircrew in the Armed Forces.
Section 415. The bill includes language to assist in
identifying the remains of fallen soldiers at the National
Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
Section 416. The bill includes language prohibiting the
Department of Veterans Affairs from purchasing computers,
printers, software, or hardware needed for an office
environment from the People's Republic of China or entities
that contribute to the defense industry of the Chinese
Communist Party.
Section 417. The bill includes language related to freedom
of speech.
Section 418. The bill includes language regarding smoke-
free policies for employees at VA Health Care Facilities (VHA
Directive 1085.01).
Section 419. The bill includes language related to the
Veterans Crisis Line.
Section 420. The bill includes language establishing a
``Spending Reduction Account.''

House of Representatives Reporting Requirements

The following items are included in accordance with various
requirements of the Rules of the House of Representatives:

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following is a statement of
general performance goals and objectives for which this measure
authorizes funding:
The Committee on Appropriations considers program
performance, including a program's success in developing and
attaining outcome-related goals and objectives, in developing
funding recommendations.

RESCISSION OF FUNDS

Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following statements are
submitted describing the rescissions in the accompanying bill:

RESCISSIONS

Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following lists the rescissions
included in the accompanying bill:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Program or Activity Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration.................... $15,889,000,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSFERS OF FUNDS

Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following list includes the
transfers included in the accompanying bill:

TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Language is included under Title I to allow for the
transfer of funds from Family Housing, Construction accounts to
the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund and
funds from Military Construction accounts to the Department of
Defense Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund.
Language is included under Title I to provide transfer
authority from the BRAC account to the Homeowners Assistance
Program.
Language is included under Title I to allow the transfer of
expired funds to the ``Foreign Currency Fluctuations,
Construction, Defense'' account.

TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Language is included under Title II to transfer not to
exceed $29,454,647,000 in fiscal year 2026 from Compensation
and Pensions to General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits
Administration and Information Technology Systems. These funds
are for the administrative costs of implementing cost-savings
proposals required by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1990 and the Veterans' Benefits Act of 1992. Language is also
included transferring funds to the Medical Care Collections
Fund to augment funding of medical facilities for nursing home
care provided to pensioners.
Language is included under Title II to permit the transfer
of funds from General Administration to General Operating
Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration.
Language is included under Title II to permit the transfer
of funds between Information Technology Systems development
projects and among the three subaccounts identified in bill
language subject to the approval of the Committee.
Language is included under Title II to provide authority
for the Department of Veterans Affairs for any funds
appropriated in 2026 for Compensation and Pensions,
Readjustment Benefits, and Veterans Insurance and Indemnities
to be transferred among those three accounts.
Language is included under Title II to transfer funds among
the Medical Services, Medical Community Care, Medical Support
and Compliance, and Medical Facilities accounts, subject to
approval by the Committee.
Language is included under Title II to permit the funds
from three life insurance funds to be transferred to General
Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration and
Information Technology Systems for the costs of administering
such programs.
Language is included under Title II to permit funding up to
be transferred to General Administration and Information
Technology Systems from any funds appropriated in fiscal year
2026 to reimburse three headquarters offices for services
provided.
Language is included under Title II to transfer certain
funds derived from enhanced-use leasing activities to the
Construction, Major Projects and Construction, Minor Projects
accounts.
Language is included under Title II to allow the transfer
of funds from the Medical Care Collections Fund to the Medical
Services and Medical Community Care accounts.
Language is included under Title II to allow the transfer
of funds from the Capital Asset Fund to the Construction, Major
Projects and Construction, Minor Projects accounts.
Language is included under Title II to allow the transfer
of funds from various accounts to the Information Technology
Systems account in an aggregate amount not to exceed ten
percent of the account appropriation, subject to approval by
the Committee.
Language is included under Title II to allow the transfer
of funds provided for the Department of Veterans Affairs in
fiscal year 2026 to the Joint Department of Defense-Department
of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund.
Language is included under Title II allowing fiscal year
2026 medical care funding to be transferred to the Joint
Department of Defense-Department of Veterans Affairs Medical
Facility Demonstration fund.
Language is included under Title II permitting funds
deposited to the Medical Care Collections Fund for healthcare
provided at a combined Federal medical facility to be
transferred to the Joint Department of Defense-Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund.
Language is included under Title II to the Department of
Veterans Affairs that would transfer no less than $15,000,000
for the DOD-VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund as authorized
by section 8111(d) of title 38, United States Code.
Language is included under Title II that permits the
transfer from all discretionary accounts except General
Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration, to
Medical Services, subject to approval by the Committee.
Language is included under Title II that permits transfer
of funds between General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits
Administration and the Board of Veterans Appeals, subject to
approval by the Committee.

TRANSFER OF FUNDS

Pursuant to clause 3(f)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following statements are
submitted describing the transfer of funds provided in the
accompanying bill.

DISCLOSURE OF EARMARKS AND CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING ITEMS

The following table is submitted in compliance with clause
9 of rule XXI, and lists the congressional earmarks (as defined
in paragraph (e) of clause 9) contained in the bill or in this
report. Neither the bill nor the report contain any limited tax
benefits or limited tariff benefits as defined in paragraphs
(f) or (g) of clause 9 of rule XXI.

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES
[Community Project Funding]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Account State Project Location House Amount House Requestor(s)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Army................................ AL..................... Access Control Point.. Anniston Army Depot... $18,000,000 Rogers
Army................................ FL..................... Joint Interagency Task Naval Air Station Key 50,000,000 Gimenez
Force-South Command West.
and Control Facility.
Army................................ OK..................... Automation-Aided Fort Sill............. 9,300,000 Cole
Instruction Building.
Navy................................ CA..................... Child Development Naval Air Weapons 8,900,000 Fong
Center. Station China Lake.
Navy................................ CA..................... F-35 Aircraft Naval Air Station 17,000,000 Fong
Maintenance Hangar. Lemoore.
Navy................................ FL..................... Communications USMC Support Facility 45,425,000 Rutherford
Infrastructure. Blount Island.
Navy................................ FL..................... Child Development Naval Air Station 4,575,000 Rutherford
Center. Jacksonville.
Navy................................ GU..................... Defense Access Roads.. Guam.................. 50,000,000 Moylan
Navy................................ VA..................... EOD Expeditionary Mine Joint Expeditionary 12,000,000 Kiggans
Countermeasures Base Little Creek--
Facility. Fort Story.
Navy................................ VA..................... Power Upgrades (Pier Naval Station Norfolk. 15,000,000 Kiggans
14).
Navy................................ VA..................... Shore Power for Naval Weapons Station 2,200,000 Wittman
Virginia Class Yorktown.
Submarines.
Air Force........................... NE..................... Survivable Airborne Offutt Air Force Base. 29,800,000 Bacon, Flood
Operations Center.
Air Force........................... UT..................... F-35 Canopy Repair Hill Air Force Base... 2,600,000 Moore
Facility.
Defense-wide........................ AL..................... General Purpose Anniston Army Depot... 32,000,000 Rogers
Warehouse.
Defense-wide........................ NC..................... SOF Forward Operating Fort Bragg............ 44,700,000 Hudson
Base Freedom Upgrades.
Defense-wide........................ NC..................... SOF Joint Intelligence Fort Bragg............ 5,300,000 Hudson
Center.
Army Reserve........................ KY..................... Aviation Support Fort Knox............. 50,000,000 Gutherie
Facility.
Navy Reserve........................ TX..................... Maintenance Hangar.... Naval Air Station Fort 50,000,000 Ellzey
Worth.
Air Force Reserve................... TX..................... Entry Control Facility Dobbins Air Reserve 3,200,000 Loudermilk
Base.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Compliance With Rule XIII, Cl. 3(e) (Ramseyer Rule)

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets and
existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman):

PUBLIC LAW 118-42

* * * * * * *
DIVISION A--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2024

* * * * * * *

TITLE II--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

* * * * * * *

(including transfer of funds)

[Sec. 220. Of the amounts appropriated to the Department of
Veterans Affairs which become available on October 1, 2024, for
``Medical Services'', ``Medical Community Care'', ``Medical
Support and Compliance'', and ``Medical Facilities'', up to
$456,547,000, plus reimbursements, may be transferred to the
Joint Department of Defense--Department of Veterans Affairs
Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, established by section
1704 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2010 (Public Law 111-84; 123 Stat. 2571) and may be used for
operation of the facilities designated as combined Federal
medical facilities as described by section 706 of the Duncan
Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
(Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4500): Provided, That
additional funds may be transferred from accounts designated in
this section to the Joint Department of Defense--Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund upon
written notification by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to
the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.]

* * * * * * *

Language is included in various parts of the bill to
continue ongoing activities that require annual authorization
or additional legislation, which to date have not been enacted.
Language is included in various parts of the bill to place
limitations on the use of funds in the bill or change existing
limitation and which might, under some circumstances, be
construed as changing the application of existing law.
Language is included in various parts of the bill to allow
the Secretary of Defense to exceed certain limitations upon
notification to the Committee.
Language is included in various parts of the bill to allow
funding to be used for official reception and representation
expenses.
Language is included in various parts of the bill to enable
various appropriations to remain available for more than one
year for some programs for which the basic authority
legislation does not presently authorize such extended
availability.
Language is included in various parts of the bill to permit
the transfer of funds to other accounts.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit payments for
cost plus-a-fixed-fee contracts under certain circumstances.
Language is included in various parts of the bill to allow
funds to be used for the hire of passenger motor vehicles.
Language is included under Title I to allow advances to the
Federal Highway Administration, Department of Transportation
under certain circumstances. Language is included under Title I
to prohibit the use of funds to begin construction of new bases
without specific appropriations.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit the use of
funds for purchase of land or land easements under certain
circumstances.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit the use of
funds for land acquisition, site preparation, and utility
installation for family housing unless funds have been made
available in annual appropriations Acts.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit the use of
minor construction funds to transfer an activity between
installations without prior notification.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit the use of
funds for the procurement of steel for any activity if American
steel producers have been denied the opportunity to compete for
such steel procurements.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit the use of
funds to pay real property taxes in any foreign nation.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit the use of
funds to initiate a new installation overseas without prior
notification.
Language is included under Title I to limit the use of
funds for architect and engineer contracts under certain
circumstances.
Language is included under Title I to limit the use of
funds for awarding contracts to foreign contractors under
certain circumstances.
Language is included under Title I to require the
Department of Defense to notify the appropriate committees of
Congress of any proposed military exercises under certain
circumstances.
Language is included under Title I to allow prior year
construction funding to be available for currently authorized
projects.
Language is included under Title I to allow payment for the
cost associated with supervision, inspection, overhead,
engineering and design on family housing or military
construction projects that arebeing completed with expired or
lapsed funds.
Language is included under Title I to allow funds to be
expended on military construction projects for four fiscal
years after enactment under certain circumstances.
Language is included under Title I to allow construction
funds to be transferred to Housing Improvement Funds.
Language is included under Title I to allow for the
transfer of BRAC funds to the Homeowners Assistance Program.
Language is included under Title I to limit funds for the
operation and maintenance of family housing to those provided
in this appropriation and to limit amounts expended on repairs
of general and flag officer quarters under certain
circumstances.
Language is included under Title I to allow funds in the
Ford Island Improvement Account to be available until expended
for certain purposes.
Language is included under Title I to allow for the
transfer of expired funding to the Foreign Currency Fluctuation
Account under certain circumstances.
Language is included under Title I to prohibit funds from
being used for projects at Arlington Cemetery.
Language is included under Title I directing all amounts
appropriated to Military Construction (all accounts) be
immediately available and allotted for the full scope of the
authorized project.
Language is included under Title I providing funds for
unfunded requirements requested by the Services and Combatant
Commanders.
Language is included under Title I defining the
congressional defense committees.
Language is included under Title I providing funds for
military laboratory facilities.
Language is included under Title I providing funds for
child development centers planning and design.
Language is included under Title I providing funds for
barracks planning and design.
Language is included under Title I providing funds for
demolition.
Language is included under Title I prohibiting funds to
close Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Language is included under Title II providing for the
reimbursement to the Department of Defense for the costs of
verses employee mail.
Language is included under Title II to require that the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs establish a priority for
treatment of Veterans who are service-connected disabled, lower
income, or have special needs.
Language is included under Title II to require that the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs give priority funding of basic
medical benefits to priority groups 1 through 6.
Language is included under Title II to allow the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs to dispense prescription drugs from VHA
facilities to enrolled Veterans with privately written
prescriptions at no additional cost to the Department.
Language is included under Title II requiring the Secretary
to ensure sufficient funding is available for the acquisition
of prosthetics designed for women Veterans.
Language is included under Title II requiring sufficient
funding is available for prosthetic research specifically for
female Veterans and for toxic exposure research.
Language is included under Title II to require approval of
a transfer between development projects in the Information
Technology Systems account.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting funding in
the Veterans Electronic Health Record account from being
obligated in a manner inconsistent with deployment schedules.
Language is included under Title II establishing time
limitations and reporting requirements concerning the
obligation of Major Construction funds, limiting the use of
funds, allowing the use of funds for program costs, and
allowing for the reimbursement to the ``General
Administration'' account for the salaries and expenses of the
Office of Construction and Facilities Management employees.
Language is included under Title II to allow Minor
Construction funds to be used to repair nonmedical facilities
damaged by natural disaster or catastrophe.
Language is included under Title II permitting transfers
between mandatory and discretionary accounts, limiting and
providing for the use of certain funds, funding administrative
expenses associated with life insurance programs from excess
program revenues, allowing reimbursement from enhanced-use
leases and for certain services, requiring notification of
construction bid savings, limiting reprogramming amount of
major construction projects, restricting changes in the scope
of major construction projects, requiring disclosure of
insurance and income information, allowing a recovery audit
collection program, allowing Veterans in the State of Alaska to
use Indian Health Service facilities under certain conditions,
requiring quarterly reports on the Department's financial
status, performance measures, and data, allowing medical
services funds for recreational and funeral expenses, and
requiring notification of organizational changes that transfer
25 or more employees from one VA organizational unit to
another.
Language is included under Title II requiring notification
of any single national outreach and awareness marketing
campaign in which obligations exceed $1,000,000.
Language is included under Title II requiring the Secretary
to maintain certain requirements in operating the toll-free
suicide hotline.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting funds from
being used in contravention of certain breast cancer screening
guidance.
Language is included under Title II to allow covered
veterans and their spouses or partners, under certain
conditions, to receive assisted reproductive technology
services and adoption reimbursement.
Language is included under Title II pertaining to
exceptions for Indian- or Native Hawaiian-owned businesses
contracting with the Department.
Language is included under Title II directing the
elimination of using Social Security account numbers to
identify individuals in all information systems of the
Department.
Language is included under Title II pertaining to
certification of marriage and family therapists.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting funds from
being used to transfer funding from the Filipino Veterans
Equity Compensation Fund to any other VA account.
Language is included under Title II permitting funds to
carry out and expand the childcare program.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting funds to
enter into an agreement to resolve a dispute or claim with an
individual that would restrict the individual from speaking to
Members of Congress or their staff.
Language is included under Title II requiring certain data
to be included in budget justifications for major construction
projects.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting the
Inspector General from being denied timely access to
information.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting funding to
be used in a manner that would increase wait times for Veterans
who seek medical care.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting the use of
funds in fiscal year 2024 to convert any program that received
specific purpose funding in fiscal year 2023 to a general
purpose-funded program.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting the use of
dogs or cats as part of the conduct of any study.
Language is included under Title II allowing for funds
within the Medical Community Care account to be used for
expenses that would have otherwise been payable from the
Veterans Choice Fund.
Language is included under Title II allowing for
obligations and expenditures applicable to the Medical Services
account in fiscal years 2017 through 2019 for aid to state
homes to remain in the Medical Community Care account for such
fiscal years.
Language is included under Title II providing for a certain
amount within the medical care accounts to be made available
for gender-specific care and programmatic efforts to deliver
care for women veterans.
Language is included under Title II rescinding unobligated
balances in the ``Recurring Expenses Transformational Fund.''
Language is included under Title II requiring quarterly
reports on the status of the Veterans Medical Care and Health
Fund.
Language is included under Title II allowing the use of
unobligated balances for CHIP-In construction projects.
Language is included under Title II to require an expenditure
plan for funds made available in the Fiscal Responsibility Act
of 2023 (P.L. 118-5). Language is included under Title II
prohibiting federal funding for abortions except in cases of
incest, rape, or life of the mother and prohibiting federal
funding for implementing the Department of Veterans Affairs
Interim Final Rule on abortion.
Language is included under Title II regarding funding for
hormone therapies or surgeries for gender-affirming care.
Language is included prohibiting the use of to provide any
services to any individual unlawfully present in the United
States who is not eligible for health care under the laws
administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Language is included under Title II prohibiting the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs from reporting who is deemed
mentally incapacitated, mentally incompetent, or experiencing
an extended loss of consciousness as mental defective under 18
U.S.C (d)(4) or (g)(4).
Language is included under Title III, United States Court
of Appeals for Veterans Claims, Salaries and Expenses, to
permit the use of funds for a pro bono program.
Language is included under Title III, Cemeterial Expenses,
Army, Salaries and Expenses, to permit the use of funds for
parking maintenance and repairs.
Language is included under Title III, Armed Forces
Retirement Home to permit payment from the general fund of the
Treasury to the Trust Fund.
Language is included under Title III to allow for the use
of concession fees.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting funding
beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided.
Language is included under Title IV to limit the use of
funds for Federal entities when they are not in compliance with
Federal laws relating to risk assessment, the protection of
private property rights, or unfunded mandates.
Language is included under Title IV providing funding to
expand the use of ``E Commerce'' technologies and procedures.
Language is included under Title IV specifying the
Congressional committees that are to receive all reports and
notifications.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting the
transfer of funds to any instrumentality of the United States
Government without authority from an appropriations Act.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting the use of
funds for a project or program named for an individual serving
as a Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner of the United
States House of Representatives.
Language is included under Title IV requiring all reports
submitted to the Congress to be posted on the official public
website of that agency.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting funds from
being used to maintain or establish a computer network unless
such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of
pornography.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting funds from
being used to pay for first-class travel in violation of
Federal regulations. Language is included under Title IV
prohibiting funds from being used to execute a contract for
goods or services where a contractor has not complied with
Executive Order 12989.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting the use of
funds in this Act to construct facilities on military
installations that do not meet resiliency standards.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting funds to
build or house detainees at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting funds for
executive orders related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting use of
funds to directly or indirectly influence an appropriation
mattered pending before Congress, other than to communicated
with Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C 1913.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting
discrimination based on religious beliefs related to marriage.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion training or implementation.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting use of
funds to enforce COVID-19 mask mandates.
Language is included under Title IV prohibiting use of
funds to purchases various IT related equipment from China.
Language is included under Title IV regarding a Spending
Reduction Account.

CHANGES IN THE APPLICATION OF EXISTING LAW

Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(A) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, the following statements are
submitted describing the effect of provisions in the
accompanying bill that directly or indirectly change the
application of existing law.

APPROPRIATIONS NOT AUTHORIZED BY LAW

Pursuant to clause 3(f)(1)(B) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, the following table lists the
appropriations in the accompanying bill which are not
authorized by law for the period concerned:

[dollars in thousands]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations
Agency/program Last year of Authorization in last year of Appropriations
authorization level authorization in this bill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military Construction, Army............. 2025 2,485,657 2,236,357 2,103,657
Military Construction, Navy and Marine 2025 4,089,622 4,159,399 4,104,499
Corps..................................
Military Construction, Air Force........ 2025 3,532,416 3,347,126 3,169,526
Military Construction, Defense-Wide..... 2025 3,187,950 3,881,383 3,963,383
Military Construction, Army National 2025 477,329 398,489 358,489
Guard..................................
Military Construction, Air National 2025 296,692 290,492 210,492
Guard..................................
Military Construction, Army Reserve..... 2025 351,032 295,032 305,032
Military Construction, Navy Reserve..... 2025 39,829 51,291 79,829
Military Construction, Air Force Reserve 2025 137,863 74,663 37,863
North Atlantic Treaty Organization 2025 463,864 293,434 293,434
Security Investment Program............
Family Housing Construction, Army....... 2025 258,647 276,647 276,647
Family Housing Operation and 2025 475,611 485,611 495,369
Maintenance, Army......................
Family Housing Construction, Navy and 2025 89,742 245,742 245,742
Marine.................................
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance 2025 377,217 387,217 397,217
Navy and Marine Corps..................
Family Housing Construction, Air Force.. 2025 221,549 221,549 221,549
Family Housing Operation and 2025 326,250 336,250 346,250
Maintenance, Air Force.................
Family Housing Operation and 2025 52,156 52,156 52,156
Maintenance, Defense-Wide..............
Department of Defense Family Housing 2025 8,195 8,195 8,195
Improvement Fund.......................
Department of Defense Military 2025 497 497 497
Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund.
Base Realignment and Closure Account.... 2025 522,961 489,174 489,174
Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Major done each yr. ................ 961,219 1,750,000
Construction...........................
Armed Forces Retirement Home............ 2025 100,520 108,000 70,520
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROGRAM DUPLICATION

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, no provision of this bill establishes
or reauthorizes a program of the Federal Government known to be
duplicative of another Federal program, a program that was
included in any report from the Government Accountability
Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-
139, or a program related to a program identified in the most
recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

COMPARISON WITH BUDGET RESOLUTION

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives and section 308(a)(1)(A) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the following table compares
the levels of new budget authority provided in the bill with
the appropriate allocation under section 302(b) of the Budget
Act:

[In millions of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
302(b) Allocation This Bill
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget Budget
Authority Outlays Authority Outlays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison of amounts in the bill with
Committee allocations to its
subcommittees: Subcommittee on Labor,
Health and Human Services, and
Education, and Related Agencies
Discretionary....................... $152,091 $149,620 $152,091 \1\$149,620
Mandatory........................... 301,575 237,719 244,474 \1\242,748
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

FIVE-YEAR OUTLAY PROJECTIONS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII and section
308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
following table contains five-year projections associated with
the budget authority provided in the accompanying bill as
provided to the Committee by the Congressional Budget Office:

[In millions of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Projection of outlays associated with the
recommendation:
2026.................................................. \1\$351,516
2027.................................................. 120,571
2028.................................................. 16,794
2029.................................................. 6,070
2030 and future years................................. 5,203
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII and section
308(a)(1)(A) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Congressional Budget Office has provided the following
estimates of new budget authority and outlays provided by the
accompanying bill for financial assistance to State and local
governments:

[In millions of dollars]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Budget
Authority Outlays
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Financial Assistance to State and 190 189
local governments for 2026.........
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

ASSISTANCE TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII and section
308(a)(1)(C) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-
344), as amended, the Congressional Budget Office has provided
the following estimates of new budget authority and outlays
provided by the accompanying bill for financial assistance to
State and local governments.

COMMITTEE HEARINGS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the following hearings were used to
develop or consider the Military Construction, Department of
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2026:
The Subcommittee on Military Construction, Department of
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on March
11, 2025, entitled ``Innovative Technology Opportunities in
Military Construction''. The Subcommittee received testimony
from:
Director of Military Programs, Mr. Dave Morrow, U.S.
Army Corp of Engineers
Chief Engineer and Assistant Commander for Planning,
Design, and Construction Naval Facilities Engineering
Systems Command, Keith Hamiliton
Brent Richardson, PE, Energy, Infrastructure, and
Environmental Program, CNA
Thomas Healy, Founder and CEO of Hyliion
The Subcommittee on Military Construction, Department of
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on April
8, 2025, entitled ``Oversight Hearing--Quality of Life in the
Military''. The Subcommittee received testimony from:
Sergeant Major Michael A. Weimer, U.S. Army
Master Chief Petty Officer James A. Honea, U.S. Navy
Sergeant Major Carlos A. Ruiz, U.S. Marine Corps
Chief Master Sergeant David A. Flossi, U.S. Air Force
Chief Master Sergeant John F. Bentivegna, U.S. Space
Force
The Subcommittee on Military Construction, Department of
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on May
15, 2025, entitled ``Budget Hearing--Fiscal Year 2026 Request
for the Department of Veterans Affairs''. The Subcommittee
received testimony from:
The Honorable Douglas Collins, Secretary, Department
of Veterans Affairs

COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF NEW BUDGET (OBLIGATIONAL) AUTHORITY

The following table provides a detailed summary, for each
Department and agency, comparing the amounts recommended in the
bill with amounts enacted for fiscal year 2025 and budget
estimates presented for fiscal year 2026.

MINORITY VIEWS

The fiscal year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans
Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) bill funds critical
military construction, family housing, and quality of life
improvements and enhancements for our brave men and women in
uniform and their families. The bill also funds a wide variety
of assistance programs for veterans, including disability and
pension benefits, healthcare services, educational assistance,
and home loan and insurance programs they have earned through
their service to our country. It also funds the American Battle
Monuments Commission, Armed Forces Retirement Home, Arlington
National Cemetery, and the Court of Appeals for Veterans
Claims.
As context for which this bill was written, since President
Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, our democracy has
been under assault. The President has challenged Congress'
Article I authority by illegally freezing, withholding, and
canceling funds while allowing Elon Musk to run wild in the
Executive Branch. The creation of the so-called ``Department of
Government Efficiency'' (DOGE) has led to mass layoffs of
thousands of dedicated and non-partisan federal employees,
while canceling programs that millions of Americans rely on,
and weaponizing the federal government to exact revenge on the
President's enemies. These actions are unprecedented and have
challenged our judicial system and our institutions as we know
them. The chaos continues to disrupt our economy, increasing
costs, while our allies and partners abroad have started to
look at alternative partnerships and ways to challenge the
increasing threats from China, Russia, Iran and other
adversaries. Despite these historic times, Republicans have
buried their heads in the sand, pretending as if none of this
is happening.
Six months into this Administration, Congress has yet to
receive a budget request with full justification materials
consistent with past years. Therefore, the bill was written
without any analysis or justification usually provided for by
the budget request. In fact, the bill could not be completed in
its normal form. Since there was no budget request, the
majority was not able to produce state tables and members were
not able to request community project funding based on current
year needs. Similarly, the subcommittee only held a total of
two budget hearings, a significant drop from the five hearings
the subcommittee normally holds every year and these hearings
were held without seeing any budget request materials. These
hearings are necessary to hold the Administration accountable
while increasing transparency and public awareness.
Furthermore, subcommittee allocations have not been determined,
leaving questions about how much discretionary funding will be
available to fund critical programs. Put simply, the process
was a mess and Americans deserve better.
For all these reasons, and many more, Democrats held firm
and demanded 29 changes through amendments in an eleven hour
long full committee markup. While common sense amendments, such
as requests for reports to inform the committee on tariff
impacts, staffing cut impacts, and language to cut problematic
riders failed, Democrats were successful in adopting three
amendments. These three amendments ensure that cuts are not
made to the Veterans Affairs Crisis Line, increases the
Veterans Affairs Crisis Line by $5 million, and provides
advance funding of $51.7 billion for the Toxic Exposures Fund
(TEF), a significant improvement to the bill.
While we appreciate the efforts made to accommodate
Democratic priorities, the funding levels and significant
policy riders in the MilCon-V A bill are not workable and
Democrats are unable to support this bill. The bill
inadequately funds military construction and quality of life
programs for our servicemembers by almost $1 billion and
prioritizes privatized medical care for veterans which will
only serve to increase costs to taxpayers while allowing for
substandard care for our heroes. Finally, the bill includes
eight egregious policy riders that limit women's health care,
constrain suicide prevention efforts, and supports bad policy.
These riders should have no place in this bill.

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION

So far in his first six months as Defense Secretary, Pete
Hegseth prioritized culture war issues while ignoring the
things that really matter, such as the quality of life of our
troops. Secretary Hegseth has renamed installations and
warships, banned the pride flag, and blocked qualified
transgender troops from serving because he is offended by
diversity. He also requested a $50,000 emergency paint job for
his government furnished house while spending appropriated
funds to build a make-up booth in the Pentagon. Meanwhile, our
troops live in substandard housing, suicide and sexual assault
prevention remains a challenge, and servicemembers continue to
struggle with access to affordable and high-quality childcare.
The Department has no plans to address these issues or any
other quality of life issues, except to transfer hundreds of
millions out of these programs to fund a pointless border wall.
To address these quality-of-life issues, the bill includes
Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz's request to provide $30
million in dedicated funding to expand the oversight of the
housing portfolio at the Department of Defense, including
government-owned and controlled family housing and privatized
family and unaccompanied housing. The well-being of service
members and their families is of utmost importance, and we
continue to hear unacceptable reports of poor housing
conditions, slow response times, and indifference towards
requests for assistance.
Although the bill provides $50 million in dedicated funding
for PF AS remediation and cleanup, it does not include
additional, dedicated funding for military installation climate
change and resiliency projects, leaving our installations
vulnerable to climate change. The bill also underfunds the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program
(NSIP), by $188 million, underfunding installations that our
troops and allies in Europe rely on, and especially as Russia's
illegal invasion into Ukraine approaches its fourth year.
To address the military construction shortfalls in the
bill, Democrats offered seven amendments to increase NSIP
funding and require spend plans and approvals for the
Department's redirection of funding to the border wall.
Unfortunately, these amendments were not adopted.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

In the first six months of this Administration, the
Department of Veterans Affairs led by Secretary Collins, has
plummeted into disarray with morale nosediving, threatening the
ability of the Department to provide benefits and high-quality
care to our deserving veterans. So far, Secretary Collins has
not produced a comprehensive or sensible plan for VA to improve
wait times, process claims quicker, hire qualified medical
professionals, or address the mental health crisis, all real
challenges facing our veterans today. Instead, Secretary
Collins is focused on cutting the workforce by fifteen percent,
or over 80,000 dedicated public servants, canceling hundreds of
important contracts that provide services to our veterans, and
addressing culture war issues that only Republicans believe are
a high priority. DOGE has been allowed to access private
veteran information including their social security numbers and
disability status. The Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase
(VASP) Program, designed to help veterans avoid foreclosure,
has been shuttered. Twenty-four staffers for the VA suicide
crisis line were needlessly fired, leaving calls unanswered.
When asked for details or information to better understand
these serious concerns, VA has refused to answer any questions.
The Department of Veterans Affairs is in disarray and veterans
will suffer as a result.
The majority's bill does nothing to address the legitimate
concerns raised above. Instead, the majority's bill included a
sixty seven percent increase to medical community care,
representing the largest ever shift towards VA medical care
privatization. A priority straight out of Project 2025. This
decision was made without any justification materials from the
Administration. Democrats support the ability for veterans to
seek care where they can, but multiple studies have shown the
best care veterans can receive is at VA facilities. We should
be dedicating funding to expanding services and hiring more
medical professionals at VA, not shifting funding to private
hospitals and clinics. Furthermore, the base bill failed to
provide the $51.7 billion in advance funding for the TEF
requested by the President. Veterans were being denied the
certainty they deserve, certainty that if they were exposed to
toxic substances, they would be guaranteed health care
indefinitely. The bill also included eight harmful riders, for
example, blocking abortion and VA from reporting veterans to
the National Instant Criminal Background Check system who were
determined to be a potential danger to themselves or others.
To fix these issues, Democrats offered 22 amendments that
focused on ascertaining reports and information regarding the
staffing cuts, the closure of the VASP program, increasing
funding for vital programs like the crisis line and healthy
food programs, and advance fund the TEF. Ranking Member
Wasserman Schultz was successful in negotiating a deal to
advance fund TEF for two years, ensuring that $51.7 billion
would be available for toxic exposed veterans. This success was
coupled with guaranteed protections and increased funding for
the VA crisis line as amendments from Congresswoman Underwood
and Congresswoman Dean were adopted.

CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS

This bill has been considered during a time of remarkable
upheaval for the Committee. Since trucing office in January
2025, the executive branch has been engaged in a rampant,
unlawful, and unconstitutional disregard for spending laws. In
particular, the Office of Management and Budget has been at the
center of a government-wide effort to thwart the intent of this
Committee's laws in its actions, while also unlawfully refusing
to publish the agency's legally binding budget decisions (known
as apportionments) in contravention of an unambiguous and
constitutionally sound assertion of the Congress's authority to
impose transparency requirements upon the executive branch.
The current executive branch has contended--at times--an
inherent Presidential power to impound. However, while this
bill was approved over the objection of all but one Democrat on
the Committee, the debate and proceedings made unmistakably
clear, just as former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States William Rehnquist concluded (at the time an
Assistant Attorney General with the Department of Justice
Office):
``With respect to the suggestion that the President
has a constitutional power to decline to spend
appropriated funds, we must conclude that existence of
such a broad power is supported by neither reason nor
precedent.''
The laws considered and enacted by this Committee reflect
the legally binding expression of Congress's constitutional
power of the purse, effectuated through the conditions and
permissions the Committee places on spending authority through
the Congress's Article I powers. Just as the Committee chooses
to allow or restrict the purpose for any purpose in the bill,
so too does the Committee decide the amount for which an
activity shall be funded. When the Committee allows the
flexibility of merely mandating a ceiling (or upper limit) or a
floor (lowest required level) for an activity, it does so in
contrast to every other instance where it has included a
specific amount, which unless otherwise stated is Congress's
clear intent to be both a floor and a ceiling.
These perspectives are both uncontroversial and
longstanding principles on which all of the Committee's work
rests.
This subcommittee has a long-standing tradition of
bipartisanship, and we will work in good faith with our
colleagues as we proceed through the appropriations process
with the hope of restoring bipartisan priorities in this bill.
By working together, we can best address the needs of our
Nation's military and its veterans and reach an agreement on
the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related
Agencies bill for FY 2026.

Rosa DeLauro,
Ranking Member, Committee on
Appropriations.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz,
Ranking Member, Subcommittee
on Military
Construction, Veterans
Affairs, and Related
Agencies.

[all]