House Report 119-622 - MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2027

[House Report 119-622]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-622

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MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES
APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2027

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April 23, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed

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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. 8469]

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, 2027.

INDEX TO BILL AND REPORT

Page Number
Bill Report
Purpose of the Bill........................................ 1 2
Summary of Committee Recommendation........................ 1 2
Title I--Department of Defense
Military Construction.............................. 2 3
NATO Security Investment Program................... 9 18
Department of Defense Base Closure Account......... 10 18
Family Housing Construction and Operation and
Maintenance.................................... 10 18
Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement
Fund........................................... 12 19
Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied Hsg.
Improvement Fund............................... 12 19
Administrative Provisions.......................... 13 20
Title II--Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration................... 26 25
Veterans Health Administration..................... 30 33
National Cemetery Administration................... 35 65
Departmental Administration........................ 36 66
Administrative Provisions.......................... 46 77
Title III--Related Agencies
American Battle Monuments Commission............... 83 81
U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims.......... 84 82
Cemeterial Expenses, Army.......................... 84 82
Armed Forces Retirement Home....................... 85 82
Administrative Provision........................... 85 83
Title IV--General Provisions............................... 86 83

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 $157,000,000,000 in total budget
authority for the fiscal year 2027 programs and activities
funded in the bill. This is an increase of $3,721,804,000 above
the fiscal year 2026 enacted level.
The bill includes $323,972,953,000 for mandatory programs
and $157,000,000,000 for discretionary programs.
The bill provides $19,200,000 for military construction and
family housing. This is a decrease of $537,000,000 from the
fiscal year 2026 enacted level.
The bill provides $450,288,099,000 for fiscal year 2027 for
the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is an increase of
$83,559,483,000 above the fiscal year 2026 enacted level. Of
the total, $323,972,953,000 is provided for mandatory benefit
programs and $137,800,000,000 is provided for discretionary
programs, which is a 3 percent increase above the fiscal year
2026 level. Of the total for fiscal year 2027, $122,258,000,000
for veterans' healthcare was advanced in the fiscal year 2026
``Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch,
Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act,
2026''.
For fiscal year 2027, the Committee recommendation includes
$138,240,000,000 in advance appropriations for the four
veterans' medical care accounts and $307,463,397,000 in advance
appropriations for mandatory benefits programs.
The Committee recommendation provides a total of
$352,925,000, 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.
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 2028 budget
justification: Expenditures for fiscal year 2026, or the most
recent year of available data, 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 2026....................... $19,737,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 19,200,000,000

Military construction accounts provide funds for new
construction, construction improvements, 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
$10,000,000 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.
Annual Summary of Notifications.--The Committee directs the
Services and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (on behalf
of itself and defense agencies) to submit annual summary
listing all notifications sent to the Committees during fiscal
year 2027 not later than 30 days after the end of such fiscal
year.
Transfer of Funds to and from the Foreign Currency
Fluctuations, Construction, Defense Account.--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 of projects that remain unawarded from the
current and prior fiscal years and the reasons for delay.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Advanced Manufacturing.--The Committee is encouraged by
reports that three-dimensional (3D) construction could provide
military civil engineers with a faster means of building
facilities which could reduce supply lines, and the number of
personnel needed for construction and related activities. The
Committee urges the Assistant Secretary for Energy,
Installations and Environment to study, develop, and utilize
advanced manufacturing capabilities to the extent practicable.
Advanced Structural Masonry Materials.--The Committee
recognizes ongoing innovation in construction materials that
may improve the durability, resilience, and cost-effectiveness
of Department of Defense facility construction. The Committee
is aware of emerging structural masonry technologies, including
fiber-composite geopolymer blocks designed to provide
structural capacity comparable to conventional concrete masonry
units used in building envelope wall systems. The Committee
encourages the Department to evaluate and, where appropriate,
incorporate advanced structural masonry materials, including
fiber-composite geopolymer blocks, in facility construction
projects when they demonstrate strong structural performance,
durability, favorable life-cycle costs, and compatibility with
existing military construction standards.
Privatized Unaccompanied Housing.--The Committee notes the
GAO has highlighted that longstanding deficiencies in
unaccompanied military housing undermine servicemember quality
of life due to poor conditions. The Committee also notes that
the Services have several privatized unaccompanied housing
projects in various stages of development and that Public Law
119-21 provided significant funding for and extended the
authority to private entities to build and operate
unaccompanied barracks. As such, the Committee directs the
Service Secretaries to separately identify any requested
funding for privatized unaccompanied housing construction and
operations in Congressional Budget Justification submitted to
Congress in support of future President's Budget Requests
beginning in fiscal year 2028. In addition, given mounting
concerns with the typical 50 year lease under the Military
Housing Privatization Initiative, the Committee directs the
Service Secretaries to consider shorter lease terms when
initiating any potential future agreements for new or extended
family housing or unaccompanied housing projects and provide
justification for proposed lease lengths of 50 years or greater
to the Committee as part of the Services' notification process,
as well as a list of provisions proposed for inclusion in
future leases related to terminating agreements with poorly
performing partners, such as those with significant histories
of fraud, poor tenant satisfaction scores, and failure to meet
the terms of such partner's agreement. The Committee encourages
the Services to develop new proposals for how privatized
housing projects could be smoothly transitioned in the event of
a ground lease termination.
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.
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 Committee is
looking forward to receiving the report requested under this
heading in House Report 119-161.
Demolition of Excess Infrastructure.--The bill includes
$60,000,000 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.
Expansion of Inter-governmental Support Agreements (IGSA)
for Unspecified Minor Military Construction (UMMC) Projects.--
The Committee is aware of strains on cost and timeline for
military construction needs of the DOD and recognizes efforts
by the Military Services to explore methods to identify
efficient processes to meet the needs of installations.
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: (1) A feasibility assessment on the
potential application of Inter-Governmental Support Agreements
(IGSA) for Unspecified Minor Military Construction (UMMC); (2)
A feasibility assessment on the potential application of an
increased maximum dollar amounts applicable to minor
construction projects of $18,000,000 for laboratory
revitalization and $8,000,000 for Operation and Maintenance
Funds with respect to projects enacted under Inter-Governmental
Support Agreements (IGSA) authorities; and (3) A list of up to
10 projects across the Facilities Investment Plan (FIP),
Facility Support Program, or Service equivalent that the
respective Service may be able to execute under such authority,
if modified to meet requirements outlined in Section A and B.
Family Housing and Child Development Center HVAC.--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. 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.
Indoor Air Quality.--The Committee applauds the
establishment of a barracks taskforce to modernize and improve
the safety of military housing. To protect servicemembers from
mold and other indoor air contaminants, the Committee urges the
Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment
to ensure that the task force has the best possible expertise
regarding indoor air quality, including inclusion on the task
force experts on indoor air quality, as appropriate.
Marine Concrete for Military Construction Projects in the
Indo-Pacific.--Military facilities in the harsh marine
environment of the Indo-Pacific, such as drydocks, piers, and
hangars, come with significant construction and maintenance
costs. This can be partially mitigated through the use of
``Marine Concrete'' (UFGS 03 31 29) that is capable of high
performance and extreme durability. To better understand the
availability of domestically sourced sand and gravel suited for
use in Marine Concrete for construction and repair of
facilities in marine environments, the Committee directs the
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and
Environment to provide a report, no later than 90 days after
enactment of this Act, on (1) the adequacy and shipping
availability of existing domestic sources of sand and gravel
for Marine Concrete to the Indo-Pacific and (2) options for
expanding existing domestic sources and their accessibility in
order to minimize supply chain.
Military Working Dog Kennel Facilities.--The Committee is
concerned by reports of aging and deficient military working
dog kennel facilities that may adversely affect animal health,
safety, and mission readiness as found in the DOD Office of
Inspector General (OIG) report titled, ``Evaluation of the DoD
Military Working Dog Program's Management of Canine Welfare''.
The Committee directs the Department to prioritize projects for
military working dog kennel facilities that do not meet current
Department standards, including deficiencies relating to
weather protection, drainage, mold, ventilation, and isolation
or quarantine capacity. The Committee further directs the
Department to brief the Committee not later than 90 days after
enactment of this Act on: (1) the inventory of military working
dog kennel facilities that do not meet current standards; (2)
the Department's prioritized plan and timeline to correct such
deficiencies; (3) the funding sources, including military
construction, that will be used to address them; and (4) any
barriers to timely remediation.
Moffett Federal Airfield Commissary.--The Committee
recognizes that the Mountain View, CA commissary serving the
Bay Area will close in the coming years, leaving service
members, reservists, retirees, and their families without
reasonable access to commissary benefits in a high-cost region.
The Committee encourages the relevant agencies to evaluate
options to maintain commissary access for service members and
military families in the region.
Mold Remediation.--The Committee supports the Department's
standardization of mold remediation guidelines for military
housing as directed in P.L. 119-60. Beginning no later than 60
days after the development of the guidelines, the Committee
directs the military services to provide a quarterly report
that includes the military housing, including location and
private company operator, that had a completed or pending work
order that requires mold remediation.
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.
Unified Facilities Criteria for Additive Manufacturing in
Military Construction.--The Committee applauds the Department
of Defense's continued advancement and application of additive
manufacturing technologies in military construction. The
Committee encourages the Department of Defense, through the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineer Research and Development
Center (ERDC), in coordination with the Naval Facilities
Engineering Systems Command and the Air Force Civil Engineer
Center, to prioritize the development, validation, and
standardization of Unified Facilities Criteria necessary to
support the safe, scalable, and cost-effective use of additive
manufacturing in military construction. The Committee notes the
importance of aligning ongoing research and pilot projects with
the development of Unified Facilities Criteria to reduce
barriers to adoption and facilitate more rapid project
execution. The Committee further encourages the Department to
consider opportunities to incorporate additive manufacturing
into contingency construction, expeditionary basing, and
infrastructure resilience efforts.
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.

Military Construction, Army

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $2,381,909,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 2,131,959,000

The Committee recommends $2,131,959,000 for the Army in
fiscal year 2027. The recommendation includes an additional
$20,000,000 in unspecified minor construction for investments
in training ranges at Army training installations to support
emerging needs in the current security environment. Of the
total, $108,000,000 is for the following projects in the
following amounts:

Army Buildings Review.--The Committee recognizes the
incredible transformation that the Army has undergone in its
250 year history and recognizes that many older Army buildings
have great historical significance. However, many older
facilities no longer meet the demands of the current force and
the Committee requests that the Secretary of the Army, to the
extent practicable, compile a report that identifies all
buildings built prior to 1950 still being used by the active
Army. For each building identified the Committee requests the
report include the following information: (1) original primary
use of the building; (2) current use; (3) known major
renovations that have taken place and year of renovations; (4)
major deficiencies of the building in fulfilling it's currently
assigned mission; and (5) an estimate of the length of time the
Department intends to continue using such building for its
current mission. The Committee requests such report be
submitted not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act.
Barracks at Fort Bragg.--The Committee is aware of concerns
regarding the condition and availability of barracks facilities
serving servicemembers stationed at Fort Bragg and directs the
Secretary of the Army to assess the current condition and
projected requirements for barracks facilities at Fort Bragg.
The assessment shall include current occupancy rates, projected
population and unit growth, the condition and age of existing
barracks, and estimated costs associated with renovating,
replacing, or constructing new barracks facilities necessary to
meet current and future demand. The Committee further directs
that such assessment be submitted to the Committee not later
than 60 days after enactment of this Act.
Barracks in Hawaii.--The Committee is concerned about the
potential shortfall of barracks at U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii.
Any shortfall would force the Army to place soldiers into
living space conditions that do not meet Army standards and
potentially shift additional service members into the civilian
housing markets, causing hardships on the general public by
further reducing housing options and increasing costs for the
people of Hawaii. To better assess options for promptly
providing additional Army barracks in Hawaii, the Committee
directs the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Energy,
Installations, and Environment to provide a report within 180
days of enactment of this Act on: (1) a summary of the expected
barrack shortfall over the next 10 years, (2) planned barracks
construction and improvements, to include timelines and
estimated costs, that will address any shortfall, and (3) the
potential benefits of using privatized barracks to address the
shortfall.
Corpus Christi Army Depot.--The Committee is concerned
about delays to the Aviation Multipurpose Facility military
construction project at the Corpus Christi Army Depot. The
Committee urges the Army to accelerate completion of this
project and directs the Secretary of the Army to brief the
Committee not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act on
the status of the project.
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.
Hawaii Infrastructure Readiness Initiative (HIRI).--With
support from Congress, the Army committed itself to a decade-
long infrastructure improvement plan for U.S. Army Garrison
Hawaii that was estimated to cost $1.1 billion between FY 2020
and FY 2030. To assess the Army's efforts to date, the
Committee directs the Secretary of the Army to submit a report
no later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act
consisting of: (1) a summary of completed projects and (2) the
plan to fully complete these improvements as scheduled.
Infrastructure Assessment for Pohakuloa Training Area.--
Pohakuloa Training Area is the only Army major training area in
Hawaii capable of supporting collective live fire and maneuver
training above company level. It is a critical training venue
for building and sustaining readiness in preparation for
largescale combat operations. To better understand what
additional infrastructure investments may be needed to prepare
the training area for a potential conflict in the region, the
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of the Army for
Energy, Installations, and Environment to provide a report no
later than 180 days after enactment of this Act on the
infrastructure needed, and its estimated costs, to allow the
range to quickly expand its training capacity during a major
conflict.
Kwajalein Infrastructure Assessment.--The Committee is
aware of logistical, labor and other execution challenges
impacting critical infrastructure at U.S. Army Garrison--
Kwajalein. Given the importance of Kwajalein Atoll for U.S.
Army Space and Missile Defense Command's mission and role in
supporting potential military operations during a conflict, the
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of the Army for
Installations, Energy, and Environment to provide a report, not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this
Act, summarizing: (1) the status of ongoing and planned
projects across the Future Years Defense Plan; (2) potential
options for addressing construction labor recruitment and
retention challenges, to include greater coordination with
Republic of Marshall Islands on workforce development; (3)
potential options for minimizing supply chain challenges for
construction given the garrison's isolated location; and (4)
current and projected plans to maintain and expand the Atoll's
research and testing capacity to meet Department demand.
Tripler Army Medical Center Renovation.--The Committee
supports efforts by the Army and Defense Health Agency to
conduct preliminary construction planning to renovate Tripler
Army Medical Center, to include the core buildings constructed
in the 1940s, and address related infrastructure needs such as
a parking structure. The Committee directs the Assistant
Secretary of the Army for Energy, Installations, and
Environment, in conjunction with the Director of the Defense
Health Agency, to provide a report no later than 180 days after
enactment of this Act summarizing potential renovation options,
timelines, and costs.
U.S. Army Soldier Performance Readiness Center.--The
Committee supports the U.S. Army's efforts to develop 180
Soldier Performance Readiness Centers (SPRC). The SPRC is
integral to advancing the readiness and lethality of U.S. Army
soldiers. The SPRC is a crucial component for successfully
implementing the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F)
program. As such, the Committee encourages the Army to assess
the feasibility of utilizing Small Business Innovation Research
Program Phase III awards for the construction and renovation of
these facilities to expedite the contracting process.
25th Infantry Division Headquarters Upgrade.--The Committee
is concerned about significant infrastructure shortfalls for
the 25th Infantry Division's Headquarters that could negatively
impact the division's ability to carry out operations. The
Committee directs the Assistant Secretary of the Army for
Energy, Installations and Environment to provide a report
within 180 days after enactment of this Act summarizing: (1)
the Army's assessment of the 25th Infantry Division's current
headquarters, to include operational risks and (2) the plan for
addressing facility requirements, to include a detailed
timeline and estimated costs for improvements to ensure
adequate capability and resiliency.
32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command Headquarters.--
The Committee recognizes the importance of the 32nd Army Air
and Missile Defense Command in supporting global air and
missile defense operations and encourages the Department of the
Army to advance planning for a modern headquarters facility
capable of supporting the command's secure operational
requirements.
470th Military Intelligence Brigade Infrastructure.--The
Committee recognizes the importance of the 470th Military
Intelligence Brigade in supporting intelligence operations
across the Western Hemisphere and the need for continued
infrastructure investments to ensure the brigade has adequate
secure facilities to support its mission.

Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $5,725,724,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 5,508,034,000

The Committee recommends $5,508,034,000 for the Navy and
Marine Corps in fiscal year 2027, of which $73,000,000 is for
the following project in the following amount:

Blount Island Command.--The Committee recommendation
includes $46,075,000 for the remaining increment needed to
complete the Communication Center and Infrastructure project at
Blout Island, equal to the President's Budget Request for
fiscal year 2027.
Construction in the Freely Associated States (FAS).--The
services are making large infrastructure investments in the FAS
for the first time in generations, and local on-the-ground
engagement with the national and local governments in these
countries will greatly reduce risks of construction delay and
cost increases. To better understand what actions can be taken
in the FAS to address these risks, Committee directs the Indo-
Pacific Command's Joint Task Force-Micronesia, in consultation
with the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations,
Energy, and Environment; Assistant Secretary of the Navy for
Installations, Energy, and Environment; and Assistant Secretary
of the Air Force for Installations, Energy, and Environment to
provide a report not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act summarizing: (1) action taken to date to
foster the civilian-military relationship for major planned
military construction, and (2) potential options for and
advisability of building an enduring capability, to include
permanent government civilian or military personnel stationed
in the FAS, to improve coordination to address local workforce,
environmental approvals, and community relations issues.
Joint Ammunition Manufacturing and Storage Infrastructure
at Subic Bay.--The Committee recognizes the need for resilient
forward-based ammunition infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific and
encourages the Department to prioritize identification of the
military construction requirements necessary to support a joint
ammunition manufacturing and storage facility at United States
Naval Base Subic Bay. Such requirements may include design,
site preparation, utilities, explosive safety infrastructure,
force protection, access improvements, and ammunition storage
capacity. The Committee notes that the report accompanying the
House version of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act,
2026 (House Report 119-162), required a briefing on the
feasibility of such a facility, and further directs the
Secretary of War to provide an updated briefing to the
Committee not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act on
the status of that effort, including validated military
construction requirements, estimated project costs, proposed
phasing, and a timeline for inclusion in future budget
submissions.
Maritime Prosperity Zones.--The Committee notes with
approval the Administration's recent executive actions,
including ``Restoring America's Maritime Dominance'' (April
2025) and ``America's Maritime Action Plan'' (February 2026),
which highlight the concept of Maritime Prosperity Zones (MPZs)
as a potential mechanism to strengthen the Nation's maritime
industrial base, expand shipbuilding and repair capacity, and
stimulate regional economic development tied to maritime
commerce. Not later than 90 days of enactment of this Act, the
Committee directs Secretary of the Navy to submit on the role
of military construction in supporting the development of
Maritime Prosperity Zones, including potential options for a
pilot program supporting MPZs.
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi (NASCC).--The Committee
notes the Navy's June 12, 2025, report to Congress entitled
Naval Air Station Corpus Christi Infrastructure Plan, and takes
great concern with the condition of the base. The Committee
urges the Navy to address the needs at NASCC, particularly as
related to construction and other improvements for child
development and school aged care centers, quality of life
projects for servicemembers and their families, as well as
projects in support of the Chief of Naval Air Training.
Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake
Infrastructure.--To ensure NAWS China Lake has the resources
needed to complete its mission, the Committee encourages the
Navy to continue efforts to upgrade infrastructure at NAWS
China Lake. The Committee also directs the Navy to provide
semi-annual briefings beginning no later than 60 days after
enactment of this Act to the Congressional defense committees
on (1) current challenges related to failing infrastructure
impacting NAWS China Lake and its tenant commands, and (2) the
steps the Navy is taking to resolve these infrastructure
challenges.
Other Transaction Authority (OTA).--The Committee directs
the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations
and Environment to submit a report no later than 90 days after
enactment of this Act detailing current projects for which the
use of OTA is being considered. The report should include
details of the cost and benefit of using this alternative
authority for those projects, an assessment of industry
interest in those projects, and what factors may affect
obtaining adequate industry interest for future OTA projects.
Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program (SIOP)
Waterfront Production Facilities.--Waterfront Production
Facilities are a critical element of SIOP as they will
collocate shops, engineering, and project teams near dry docks
for increased productivity and ultimately lower the costs of
depot maintenance over time. To better understand efforts to
complete these critical facilities, the Committee directs the
Navy's Naval Facilities Engineering Command and Navy Sea
Systems Command to provide a joint report within 180 days of
the enactment of this Act summarizing (1) a long-term cost
benefit analysis of Waterfront Production Facilities at each
public shipyard, (2) timeline and estimated costs for planned
Waterfront Production Facilities under SIOP, and (3) actions
that can be taken to accelerate the construction of SIOP-
related Waterfront Production Facilities.
Stormwater Management.--The committee recognizes ongoing
challenges related to stormwater management and recurrent
flooding at the United States Naval Academy. The Committee
notes that inadequate storm water infrastructure poses risks to
mission continuity, installation resilience, and the training
of future naval officers. The Committee supports continued
investment in modern, reliable storm water management systems
and integrated infrastructure solutions to mitigate flooding
risks and ensure uninterrupted operations and long-term mission
readiness.
Training Facilities at Naval Air Station Jacksonville.--The
Committee is concerned about the degradation of training
facilities at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, including the
multi-purpose pool used for Navy Search and Rescue (SAR)
Training, and the possible hazard it poses. The Committee
directs the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy,
Installations, and Environment to submit a report to the
committee not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act
detailing plans to improve training facilities at Naval Air
Station Jacksonville.

Military Construction, Air Force

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $3,926,273,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 3,712,473,000

The Committee recommends $3,712,473,000 for the Air Force
in fiscal year 2027, of which $141,000,000 is for the following
projects in the following amounts:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Location Project Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AK..................................... Eielson Air Force Base... BCE Pavements and Grounds $16,000,000
Facility.
CA..................................... Edwards Air Force Base... Construct Vehicle Search 4,500,000
Area AFRL Gate ECP:
Minor Construction.
GA..................................... Moody Air Force Base..... Military Working Dog 15,900,000
Flight Operations
Facility.
OH..................................... Wright-Patterson Air Human Performance Wing 21,000,000
Force Base. Lab (INC).
OK..................................... Tinker Air Force Base.... E-7 AWACS Squadron 55,000,000
Operations Facility
(INC).
UT..................................... Hill Air Force Base...... F-35 Canopy Repair 6,500,000
Facility: Design.
TN..................................... Arnold Air Force Base.... Installation Access 17,600,000
Control Point Gate 2.
TX..................................... Dyess Air Force Base..... Gate Repairs: Design..... 4,500,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 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, including
additional dormitory capacity for enlisted airman and
investment in access control gates to mitigate impacts on host
communities.
Commonwealth of the Northern Marians (CNMI) Airport
Investments.--To better understand dual-use infrastructure
needs in the CNMI, the Committee directs the Assistant
Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations, and
Environment, in consultation with U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, to
provide a report within 180 days of enactment of this Act on:
(1) the plan, to include the cost and tentative timelines, for
potential infrastructure upgrades at Saipan International
Airport and Rota International Airport and (2) options for
ensuring the highest levels of participation from local
construction businesses and workers for any future airport
construction projects, which will help reduce costs for the
federal government.
Dyess Air Force Base B-21 Infrastructure.--The Committee
recommendation includes a total of $160,000,000 for B-21
related infrastructure and facilities at Dyess Air Force Base,
equal to the President's Budget Request for fiscal year 2027,
including $74,000,000 for the Low Observable Corrosion Control
Facility, $63,000,000 for the Flight Simulator Facility, and
$23,000,000 for electrical utilities site improvements.
Edwards Air Force Base.--The Committee supports the Air
Force's efforts to support the growing test mission at testing
and research installations, including Edwards Air Force Base.
However, the Committee understands challenges accompany such
growth and is interested in the Air Force's plans to ensure
housing is available to support the mission growth. The
Committee directs the Air Force Secretary to provide a briefing
to the Committee not later than 60 days after enactment of this
Act on such efforts. The briefing should include: (1) current
and projected housing needs; (2) steps the Air Force has taken
to expand or improve base housing; (3) whether additional on-
base units are a viable option; (4) the status of the proposed
apartment complex; and (5) any planned military construction
funding to support on-base housing. The Committee further
encourages to include in the report additional information, if
appropriate, on legislative barriers to supporting development
of sufficient housing for Air Force personnel, and engagement
with other federal agencies and local stake holders to address
the housing shortage. The briefing should include housing needs
related to the entire Edwards Air Force Base workforce,
including tenants like the AFRL Rocket Propulsion Division and
NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center.
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.
Eglin Air Force Base.--The Committee recognizes the need
for continued infrastructure investments at Eglin Air Force
Base, including a third building for the 350th Spectrum Warfare
Wing and construction of the Weapons Technology Integration
Center.
Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD).--The Committee
continues to support the construction of facilities and
infrastructure necessary for the Sentinel/GBSD program. 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.
Laughlin Air Force Base Infrastructure Improvements.--The
Committee notes the need for investment in several critical
projects at Laughlin Air Force Base, including modernization of
the installation's airfield lighting system and the
construction of aircraft sunshade shelters to support the
transition to the T-7A Red Hawk, both of which are necessary to
sustain pilot training operations and meet future pilot
production requirements.
Medical Education and Training Campus Dormitory
Recapitalization.--The Committee supports the Air Force's
efforts to address infrastructure requirements supporting the
Medical Education and Training Campus (METC) at Joint Base San
Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, which provides joint medical training
for Army, Navy, and Air Force personnel. A replacement
dormitory facility is vital to ensuring adequate housing
capacity for medical trainees and for supporting METC's medical
training mission.
Space Command Headquarters.--The Committee recommendation
includes a total of $565,000,000 for the new Space Command
Headquarters at Redstone Arsenal, equal to the President's
Budget Request for fiscal year 2027, including $450,000,000 for
construction and $115,000,000 for design.
Sentinel Workforce Lodging and Care.--The Committee remains
concerned about the Sentinel program's ability to identify,
hire and retain a skilled workforce. The Committee also notes
that the Sentinel program's needs include secondary
requirements associated with bringing in a large workforce for
an extended period of time to communities that may lack the
infrastructure to support such an influx, and encourages the
Air Force to identify industry partners who have demonstrated
experience in lodging and hospitality services for workforce in
remote locations.
Sheppard Air Force Base.--The Committee is concerned that
aging and outdated infrastructure at Sheppard Air Force Base
(SAFB), including dormitories, technical training facilities,
the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program's squadron
operations buildings, limits the installation's ability to
support students and instructors and to deliver safe,
efficient, and effective training for airmen. The Committee
emphasizes the importance of modernizing facilities at SAFB to
ensure airmen in training have access to safe, modern, and
fully equipped learning environments necessary to support
critical Air Force career fields.
16th Air Force Headquarters.--The Committee recognizes the
critical role of Sixteenth Air Force in conducting cyber and
information warfare operations as threats from nation-state and
non-state adversaries continue to grow in scale and
sophistication. The Committee is concerned that existing
headquarters facilities may not adequately support these
mission requirements and encourages the Department of the Air
Force to prioritize planning for a modern headquarters facility
with sufficient Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility
space and appropriate security infrastructure to support
current and future operational needs.

Military Construction, Defense-Wide

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $3,874,301,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 3,757,301,000

The Committee recommends $3,757,301,000 for Military
Construction, Defense-Wide, in fiscal year 2027, of which
$55,000,000 is for the following project in the following
amount:

Energy Resilience and Conservation Investment Program.--The
Committee supports the Department's efforts to strengthen
energy resilience, enhance mission assurance, reduce costs, and
improve efficiency through ERCIP. The Committee urges the
Department to fully utilize all available tools and authorities
to ensure the timely execution of ERCIP projects. As the
Department advances toward greater base energy independence,
the Committee further encourages the aggressive adoption and
integration of innovative energy technologies to ensure
operational reliability and long-term sustainability.
Fort Bragg High School.--The Committee is aware of concerns
regarding the capacity and condition of secondary school
facilities serving military-connected students residing at Fort
Bragg. The Committee recognizes that changes in installation
population, training tempo, and force structure may affect
enrollment levels and place additional demands on educational
infrastructure serving students on installation. Accordingly,
the Committee directs the Director of the Department of Defense
Education Activity, in coordination with relevant stakeholders,
to assess the current and projected need for a new high school
facility to serve military-connected students residing at Fort
Bragg. The assessment shall include projected enrollment
trends, existing facility capacity and condition, potential
impacts on surrounding local education agencies, and estimated
costs associated with constructing or expanding secondary
school facilities to meet current and future demand.
NSA/CSS Texas Cryptologic Center.--The Committee directs
the Department to brief the Committees on Appropriations within
30 days of enactment of this Act on the status of the
acquisition, including a timeline associated with procuring the
facility.
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 disrepair at
multiple critical facilities across the USSOCOM Headquarters
campus is having an operational impact, and an upgraded
facility is needed to provide the capacity and capability for
USSOCOM to operate in the 21st century strategic environment.
The Committee is aware that the Air Force is coordinating with
USSOCOM and stakeholders to finalize an initial planning
charette, and the Committee encourages the continued
advancement of planning towards a new headquarters facility.

Military Construction, Army National Guard

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $272,930,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 198,380,000

The Committee recommends $198,380,000 for the Army National
Guard in fiscal year 2027, of which $27,500,000 is for the
following project in the following amount:

42nd Infantry Division Armory Headquarters.--The Committee
recommendation includes $90,000,000 for the new 42nd Infantry
Division Headquarters in Colonie, equal to the President's
Budget Request for fiscal year 2027.
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.

Military Construction, Air National Guard

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $292,546,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 291,264,000

The Committee recommends $291,264,000 for the Air National
Guard in fiscal year 2027, of which $38,500,000 is for the
following project in the following amount:

F-35 FTU Academic Training Center at Klamath Falls.--The
Committee recommendation includes $80,000,000 for the F-35 FTU
Academic Training Center at Klamath Falls IAP, equal to the
President's Budget Request for fiscal year 2027.
Selfridge Air National Guard Base.--The Committee
recommendation includes $162,000,000 for three projects at
Selfridge Air National Guard Base, equal to the President's
Budget Request for fiscal year 2027, including $110,000,000 to
mitigate runway encroachment, $24,000,000 for the extension of
taxiway bravo, and $28,000,000 for the extension of taxiway
alpha.

Military Construction, Army Reserve

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $92,239,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 42,239,000

The Committee recommends $42,239,000 for the Army Reserve
in fiscal year 2027, of which $1,710,000 is for the following
project in the following amount:

Military Construction, Navy Reserve

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $52,255,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 2,255,000

The Committee recommends $2,250,000 for the Navy Reserve in
fiscal year 2027.

Military Construction, Air Force Reserve

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $116,468,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 60,458,000

The Committee recommends $60,458,000 for the Air Force
Reserve in fiscal year 2027.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Security Investment Program

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $481,832,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 481,832,000

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 2026....................... $465,161,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 465,161,000

The Committee recommends $465,161,000 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 no less than $50 million above the
requested level 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.

Family Housing Overview

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $1,884,862,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 1,883,644,000

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.
Military Housing Privatization Initiative [MHPI].--The
Committees remain concerned that the MHPI management companies
are not consistently fulfilling responsibilities outlined in
their partnership agreements with the Services. Continued
evidence of poor housing conditions, inadequate maintenance
response times, and mishandling of claims remain issues.
Therefore, the agreement provides an additional $30,000,000 for
increased oversight, to include hiring additional support
personnel and deployment of training programs.
The Committee notes that veterans have reported dangerous
living conditions that included mold, lead paint, faulty
wiring, poor water quality, and pestilence such as mice and
squirrels. No later than 120 days after the enactment of this
Act, the Committee directs each Service to update its report to
the Committee detailing steps taken to improve the conditions
of all MHPI housing, 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 Construction, Army

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $228,558,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 228,558,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Army

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $388,418,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 388,418,000

Family Housing Construction,
Navy and Marine Corps

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $177,597,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 177,597,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance,
Navy and Marine Corps

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $384,108,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 384,108,000

Family Housing Construction, Air Force

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $274,230,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 274,230,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Air Force

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $369,765,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 369,765,000

Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $53,374,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 52,156,000

Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $8,315,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 8,315,000

Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $497,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 497,000

Administrative Provisions

The bill includes a total of 32 administrative provisions.
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 2018, 2019, and 2020 projects that have not
lapsed.
Section 127. Provides additional funds for military
installation resilience construction improvements at
installations.
Section 128. Provides additional funds for design for child
development centers.
Section 129. Provides funds for design for barracks.
Section 130. Provides funds for unspecified minor
construction for demolition.
Section 131. 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 2026..................... $461,420,028,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027.......... $480,972,953,000

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.
Benefits Technology Platform.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of simplifying and accelerating veterans' access to
earned benefits and reducing administrative burdens on State
and local partners that support veterans through the claims and
benefits process. The Committee notes that the Department is
exploring a limited deployment of a technology platform to
support State Veterans Service Officers (SVSOs) in case
management and benefits navigation. To ensure equitable access
nationwide and to avoid disruption to States that may adopt
this capability as it is evaluated, the Committee encourages
the Department to make available, on a nationwide basis, a
secure benefits technology and case-management platform for use
by State and Territorial Veterans Service Officers. In carrying
out this effort, the Department should prioritize continuity of
service for existing users while expanding access to all
States, Territories, and Tribal governments. The Committee
expects the Department to implement this capability in a manner
that minimizes administrative burden on State partners, avoids
unnecessary system transitions, and supports interoperability
with existing Department systems, including systems used for
claims development, service connection, and appeals assistance.
Herbicide Testing in Puerto Rico.--The Committee is aware
of evidence indicating that the U.S. military conducted
herbicide testing on mainland Puerto Rico from the late 1950s
through 1968. The Committee notes that, despite this evidence,
Puerto Rico does not appear on the Department of Defense's 2019
list of locations where tactical herbicides were tested, used,
or stored outside Vietnam, and therefore is not reflected in
current VA regulatory or sub-regulatory guidance. The Committee
urges the Department of Defense to review this information and
update its list as appropriate and urges the Department to
evaluate whether its regulations and guidance fully account for
the available evidence regarding herbicide activities in Puerto
Rico. The Committee requests that both Departments provide an
update to the Committees on Appropriations within 180 days of
enactment summarizing any reviews conducted, any updates made,
and if either Department determines it cannot make such
updates, the rationale for that determination.
Less-than-Lethal Technology.--The Committee recognizes the
critical role the VA Police play in protecting veterans, staff,
and VA medical centers, and emphasizes the importance of
equipping officers with modern, less-than-lethal electronic
control weapons (ECWs) to manage threats and ensure public
safety. The Committee notes that in 2024, the Department
established an Integrated Project Team to develop a national
procurement strategy for the conducted energy weapons program.
To advance this strategy, the Committee encourages the
Department to prioritize resources to acquire modern less-than-
lethal ECWs. The Committee directs the Department to provide a
briefing, not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act,
outlining any policy, procurement, or funding barriers to
implementation and deployment of such devices.
Medical Professional Staffing.--The Committee directs the
Comptroller General of the United States (GAO) to conduct a
study on how the salaries of VHA medical professionals compare
with those of their private-sector counterparts, and how the
hiring practices of medical professionals in VA and the private
sector differ. The report should include barriers to hiring and
retaining medical professionals at the Department, and
recommendations to improve the hiring process.
Non-Citizen Veterans and Immigration Enforcement.--The
Committee appreciates the contributions of all those who have
served in the U.S. Military. The Committee further recognizes
that thousands of U.S. veterans and active-duty U.S. military
service members are non-citizens. On April 10, 2025,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Directive 10039.3,
Consideration of U.S. Military Service During Civil Immigration
Enforcement Actions, was issued. This requires ICE personnel to
consider military service when exercising its discretion, and
notes that ICE ``will generally not initiate removal
proceedings against aliens with U.S. military service who
appear eligible for naturalization pursuant to the Immigration
and Naturalization Act.'' The Committee reaffirms and directs
compliance with Title 8, Section 1362, United States Code,
providing the right to counsel in any removal proceeding at no
expense to the Government. The Committee further directs the
Department to adhere to the Supreme Court's 1953 decision in
Shaughnessy v. United States ex rel. Mezei, holding that the
Fifth Amendment entitles noncitizens to procedural due process,
and may be removed only after proceedings conforming to
traditional standards of fairness. The Committee directs the
Department to submit a report to the Committee, not later than
180 days after the enactment of this Act, detailing the number
of noncitizen veterans and active-duty U.S. military service
members placed in removal proceedings in the preceding fiscal
year, the outcomes of such proceedings, the legal
representation status of each such veteran, and the duration of
U.S. residency as noncitizen prior to removal.
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.
Payment Integrity.--The Committee urges to increase efforts
towards improving capabilities aimed towards payment integrity,
fraud prevention, and investigative capabilities by modernizing
identity resolution, external risk signal detection, cross-
lingual entity analysis, and structured open-source
intelligence workflows in support of benefits adjudication,
acquisition integrity, and insider threat programs. These
capabilities should be deployed to VBA, OIG, OSLE, and related
components to strengthen operational effectiveness and
oversight. The Department shall report to Congress within 180
days on what actions can be taken to incorporate payment
integrity controls.
Physical Identification Cards.--The Committee recognizes
that veterans may prefer a physical identification card as
opposed to the digital Veteran Identification Card. The
Committee requests a briefing not later than 60 days after
enactment on renewing production and distribution of physical
Veteran Identification Cards to address veteran concerns.
Reproductive Health Services.--The Committee recognizes the
final rule issued by the Department to reverse the policy
established on September 8, 2022, that wrongfully removed
longstanding language preventing taxpayer funding for abortions
and abortion counseling. The Committee recognizes the
Department's assessment that ``Congress has never mandated or
legislated that VA provide abortions,'' that the Department had
long determined abortions were unnecessary under 38 U.S.C.
1710, and that Presidents and Secretaries for over 20 years had
accepted that determination. The Committee notes that a formal
opinion, issued by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal
Counsel (OLC), found that 38 U.S.C. 1710 does not give the VA
statutory authority to provide abortion or abortion counseling.
RISE Reorganization Updates.--The Department is directed to
brief the Committee quarterly on the major reorganization
planned at the Veterans Health Administration. The briefing
shall provide updates on organizational changes including
staffing changes, cost, public outreach and engagement plans,
and impact on veteran care.
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.
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.--The
Committee notes successful efforts on aiding incoming Veteran
entrepreneurs in standing up their businesses, however there
has been little sustainment or support for these businesses as
they seek to overcome the challenges of expanding their work.
The Committee urges the Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization (OSDBU) to increase follow-on
entrepreneurial training opportunities to ensure the success of
Veteran business owners.
Safe Parking.--The Committee recognizes the success of
partnerships between Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Medical Centers, including the West Los Angeles VA Medical
Center, and local communities to develop Safe Parking programs
that provide veterans living in vehicles with secure overnight
parking and access to support services. The Committee
encourages the VA to expand such partnerships, where feasible,
and to submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations of
the House of Representatives and the Senate not later than 180
days after enactment of this Act describing existing programs,
barriers to expansion, and a plan for scaling these programs in
communities with demonstrated need, including any additional
authorities or resources required.
Stuck on Hold Act.--The Committee is concerned that the
Department lacks consistent data on call wait times and call
response times across the network, notably crisis and suicide
lines, as well as standard customer service lines. Inconsistent
tracking of call metrics may prevent the Department from
identifying delays or barriers to care. Therefore, no later
than 120 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall
submit a report to the House of Representatives and Senate
Committees on Appropriations evaluating the Department's
ability to measure and report call wait times and response
performance across VA facilities, and provide recommendations
to improve response times and ensure consistent tracking of
call performance metrics.
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.
Webpages and Datasets.--The Committee reminds the
Department use of federal government funds for the purpose of
deletion or removal of a federal government webpage fewer than
48 hours after or absent notification to Congress would violate
the Antideficiency Act. The Committee directs the Department to
notify the Committee when planning to remove any webpage or
dataset. Notification shall include justification or the
removal and confirmation anything removed will be properly
archived in accordance with Federal Records Act or Presidential
Records Act.

Veterans Benefits Administration

COMPENSATION AND PENSIONS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026..................... $233,090,071,000
Appropriation, fiscal year 2027..................... 10,555,052,000
Fiscal year 2027 advance appropriation (enacted).... 246,630,525,000
Committee 2028 advance appropriation recommendation. 283,806,848,000

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 $32,324,190 in fiscal year 2028 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 an additional
$10,555,071,000 for fiscal year 2027. For fiscal year 2028, the
Committee recommendation includes an advance appropriation of
$283,806,848,000.
Aid and Attendance Benefit Eligibility Assistance.--The
Committee recognizes the challenges faced by veterans and their
surviving spouses in understanding and navigating eligibility
for the Aid and Attendance benefit. The Committee encourages
the Department to explore options to improve access to long-
term care eligibility assessments and application assistance
for individuals seeking this benefit. In doing so, the
Department should consider partnerships with qualified
organizations that are able to provide comprehensive
eligibility assessments and help applicants prepare and submit
claims for Aid and Attendance benefits.
Claims Backlog.--The Committee seeks reassurance that any
recent reduction in full-time positions will not adversely
impact the Department's ability to process benefits claims in a
timely manner. Any reduction in VBA processing capacity, could
lead to an increases in the claims backlog and decision times.
The Committee directs the Department to ensure that veterans'
needs are being met and to submit a report within 120 days of
enactment detailing the projected impact of any staffing
reductions on claims processing, including anticipated backlog
growth, delays in PACT Act-related benefits, and mitigation
strategies.
Clear Communication and Simplification of Benefits Forms.--
The Committee is concerned that unnecessary complexity in
benefits forms and notices can delay claims processing and
increase error rates. The Committee directs the Department to
submit a plan to the Committee on Appropriations of the House
of Representatives and the Senate not later than 180 days after
enactment of this Act on improvements on the clarity and
usability of high volume benefits forms and claimant
communications, including: (1) priority forms and notices
selected for revision; (2) plain language and accessibility
standards; (3) implementation timeline; and (4) measures to
track improvements in claimant comprehension, submission
completeness, and processing efficiency.
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.
Expanding Veteran Services in the Pacific Islands.--The
Committee is aware of gaps in service coverage for veterans and
their families in Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American
Samoa, and the Freely Associated States. The Committee is
concerned that lack of access to VBA services may deter or
prevent veterans and their families from accessing earned
benefits, increase costs to the Department, or shift burdensome
costs on veterans and their families. The Committee encourages
the Department to increase its operational presence by
utilizing existing lease spaces in Guam, the Northern Mariana
Islands, American Samoa, and the Freely Associated States. The
Committee also directs the Department to provide a feasibility
report to Congress on establishing a Regional Office on Guam
not more than 180 days after the enactment of this Act.
Improving VBA Access for Rural Veterans.--The Committee
recognizes that veterans residing in rural communities often
face significant geographic barriers to accessing in-person
Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) services. To improve
access to benefits counseling and claims assistance, the
Committee encourages VA to establish mobile or temporary VBA
service locations in rural areas, as defined by the Department
of Veterans Affairs Office of Rural Health. The Committee
directs the Department to prioritize locations where veterans
must travel substantial distances to access VBA offices and
where unmet demand for in-person benefits assistance is
greatest.
Medical Examinations at VA facilities.--The Committee
recognizes that the current compensation and pension (C&P) exam
process causes issues for veterans, including scheduling,
access, quality of and time to care, and access to benefits.
The Committee urges the Department to explore the feasibility
of implementing a pilot program to assess the feasibility of
conducting C&P exams, or obtaining medical opinions, in-house
at VA medical facilities rather than third-party providers.
Within 180 days of enactment of this Act, the Department is
directed to provide a report that assesses the cost,
timeliness, quality, and capacity of the Department to provide
medical disability examinations including average time to
completion of examinations, adequacy and remand rates, claimant
satisfaction and experience, and average cost per completion of
examination.
Specially Adapted Housing Assistance for Rural Veterans.--
The Committee recognizes the importance of the Specially
Adapted Housing (SAH) program in enabling veterans with severe
service-connected disabilities to modify their homes to support
their mobility and long-term stability. However, the Committee
is concerned that veterans, particularly those residing in
rural communities, often face significant challenges
identifying contractors willing and able to perform SAH-funded
accessibility modifications, which places an undue
administrative burden on veterans seeking to utilize these
benefits. The Committee encourages VBA to improve assistance to
rural veterans in identifying qualified contractors and
navigating the SAH program.
Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) Scale and Success
Training Program.--The Committee encourages the Office of Small
and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in providing
follow-on entrepreneurial training and technical assistance to
Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (VOSBs).
Veterans Readiness and Employment Program Claims.--The
Department is directed to brief the Committee on
Appropriations, addressing the five recommendations included on
pages 65-66 of the report of the Inspector General titled ``The
Accuracy of Veteran Readiness and Employment Claims Cannot be
Assessed Because of Insufficient Documentation,'' dated
September 30, 2025. The briefing should include how the
Department will address each recommendation and, where
applicable, how it will not, with justifications.

READJUSTMENT BENEFITS

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $25,249,916,000
Fiscal year 2027 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 24,703,528,000
Committee 2028 advance appropriation recommendation... 23,565,656,000

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 $23,565,656,000 for fiscal year 2028.
GI Bill Administration and Recovery Practices.--The
Committee supports timely and accurate administration of
veterans education benefits and is concerned about avoidable
debts and recovery actions that may burden beneficiaries. The
Committee directs the Department to brief the Committees on
Appropriations not later than 180 days after enactment of this
Act on: (1) steps taken to reduce erroneous payments and
overpayments; (2) improvements in communication to
beneficiaries regarding enrollment changes and potential debt;
and (3) options to streamline recovery practices consistent
with program integrity and applicable law.
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.
VA Automotive Adaptive Equipment (AAE) Schedule Pricing
Update.--The Committee is aware that when the Department first
established its AAE Schedule in July 2024, the prices listed
were based on data from 2021, resulting in undervalued pricing.
Within 90 days of enactment, the Committee encourages the
Department to review the prices listed in the AAE Schedule to
ensure that such prices reflect the most recently available
pricing data.
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.

VETERANS INSURANCE AND INDEMNITIES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $131,518,000
Fiscal year 2027 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 97,893,000
Committee 2028 advance appropriation recommendation... 90,892,830

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 2028, the Committee recommendation includes
an advance appropriation of $90,892,830.

VETERANS HOUSING BENEFIT PROGRAM FUND PROGRAM ACCOUNT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on
direct loans for Administrative
Program Account specially adapted Expenses
housing loans
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2026.......................... - - - ($500,000) $266,737,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............... - - - (500,000) 266,736,842
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 $266,736,842 for
fiscal year 2027 for administrative expenses to carry out the
Veterans Housing Loan Program.
Home Loan Flexibility.--The Committee recognizes evolving
housing preferences among veterans, including increased
interest in non-traditional living arrangements--such as
recreational vehicles (RVs) and manufactured or mobile homes--
used as long-term or permanent residences. The Committee
further recognizes that in certain housing markets, lower-cost
alternatives such as RV-based living and manufactured housing
may provide an accessible pathway to housing stability for some
veterans. Accordingly, the Committee directs the VA to submit a
report to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate, not later than 180 days after
enactment of this Act, assessing the feasibility and policy
implications of modifying existing authorities under chapter 37
of title 38, United States Code, to permit the use of the VA
Home Loan Guaranty Program for the purchase of land on which an
RV, manufactured, or mobile home would be permanently sited as
a primary residence.
Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) Program and
Partial Claim Program Implementation.--The Committee notes that
the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, signed into law in July
2025, authorized the establishment of a new Partial Claim
Program intended to provide a long-term foreclosure mitigation
option for veteran borrowers. The Committee notes that VASP had
programmatic flaws, however a replacement program for VASP has
not yet been established and a timeline for the rollout of the
Partial Claim Program is not known. This has left a gap of
several months between the termination of VASP and a
replacement program being established. This gap has exposed
veterans to the risk of foreclosure. The Committee directs the
Department to submit a report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations and Committees on Veterans Affairs
not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act addressing:
(1) the total number of veterans who received assistance
through VASP; (2) the number of pending applications at the
time of termination; (3) the number of veteran borrowers
currently delinquent or at risk of foreclosure; (4) the number
of veteran borrowers who have entered foreclosure, enrolled in
VA foreclosure relief mechanisms; and (5) the Department's
timeline for implementing the Partial Claim Program, including
projected date(s) and milestones for implementation,
eligibility criteria for veteran borrowers, guidance to
mortgage lenders and servicers, and the anticipated date the
program will begin accepting applications.

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION LOANS PROGRAM ACCOUNT

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Limitation on Administrative
Program Account direct loans Expenses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriation, fiscal year 2026.......................... $45,428 ($1,394,442) $507,254
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............... 34,788 (1,227,041) 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 $34,788 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 2026 cost of direct loan $11,710,000
and administration...................................
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027 cost of 8,449,000
direct loan and administration.......................

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 $5,845,241 for fiscal
year 2027 for administrative expenses for the Native American
Veteran Housing Loan Program, and $75,000,000 in loan
authority, to remain available until expended, for the
principal amount of direct loans pursuant to subchapter V of
chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code.

GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES,
VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $3,881,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 3,744,000,000

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 $3,744,000,000 for
fiscal year 2027 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, 2028, up to ten percent of these funds.
Artificial Intelligence in VBA Disability Claims Process.--
The Committee is aware of veterans' concerns regarding the use
of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Department's disability
claims process, however the use of AI has the potential to
improve claims processing times, transparency regarding its
use, especially in claims adjudication. The Committee directs
the Department to submit a report to Congress within one year
after the date of enactment detailing how AI is used in the
disability compensation process. The report shall include: a
step-by-step map of the disability claims process from
submission through final rating, identifying where AI is used;
a description of each AI use case including its effect on
claims processing timelines and how it is used to inform rating
and award decisions; a description of the Department's quality
review procedures and auditing practices for AI-assisted claim
decisions; and an overview of policies governing disclosure of
AI tools used in the disability claims process.
Attorney Fees.--The Committee recognizes that veterans and
their dependents may experience delays in the processing of
benefits claims, including during the appeals process. The
Committee requests a report within 180 days of enactment
examining the aggregate costs associated with veterans and
dependents obtaining attorney representation in VA appeals, an
assessment of whether incomplete or partial initial claims
submissions may be contributing to the volume of appeals and an
evaluation of whether the use of professional claims
consultants could improve the completeness of initial claims
and reduce the need for appeals. The Committee seeks current VA
opinion on the interpretation of 38 U.S.C. 5901 and how it
applies to private companies assisting veterans with their
initial claim, not as agents or attorneys.
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.
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. The Committee continues
to await the report directed in House Report 119-161.
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).
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 continues to urge VBA
to prioritize specialized MST training for claims processors,
and to continue to involve MST survivors in the development of
specialized training.
Outreach to Veterans.--The Committee continues to support
the purposes authorized under 38 U.S.C. 6307 for outreach to
States and Indian Tribes to carry out programs that improve
outreach and assistance to veterans and associated parties and
directs the Department to maintain funding levels from fiscal
year 2026 for these purposes.

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 2027, the President's Budget requested a
total of $138,240,000,000 for veterans' medical care, including
funding for medical care for the treatment of conditions
related to toxic exposures. The Committee does not accept the
proposal to realign account categories.
In fiscal year 2027, VA will collect an estimated
$4,206,990,000 in the Medical Care Collections Fund.
The Committee provides $900,000,000 for Medical and
Prosthetic Research for fiscal year 2027.
The Committee provides $138,240,000,000 in advance for
fiscal year 2028. The discretionary advance appropriations is
in conjunction with the Toxic Exposures Fund (TEF) mandatory
funding of $54,593,000,000 in 2027.
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.
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
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.
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.
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 NHPIUSAPI community.

MEDICAL SERVICES

Fiscal year 2026 enacted level...................... $59,150,000,000
Fiscal year 2027, appropriation..................... 100,000,000
Fiscal year 2027 advance appropriation (enacted).... 59,958,000,000
Committee 2028 advance appropriation recommendation. 70,700,000,000

The bill includes an additional $100,000,000 in addition to
the $59,958,000,000 enacted in P.L. 119-37. The bill includes
$70,700,000,000 for advance fiscal year 2028 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 2027 available through September
30, 2028.
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.
Health Care Services in the Freely Associated States.--From
funds appropriated for Medical Services, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs in coordination with the Secretary of State
may advance the Circular 175 process and enter into agreements
with the governments of the Federated States of Micronesia, the
Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau, to
facilitate the furnishing of health services, including
telehealth, mail order pharmacy, and Beneficiary Travel,
pursuant to and in order to carry out section 209(a) of the
Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2024 (Public Law
118-42). The Committee reminds the VA that that efforts to
promote or enhance the Foreign Medical Program under 38 U.S.C
1724(b)(1) for veterans in the Freely Associated States does
not suffice or meet Congressional intent outlined in Public Law
118-42.
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 awaits the requested report in H. Rpt. 119-161.

CANCER AND RARE DISEASES

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.
Kidney Paired Donation for Veterans.--The Committee
recognizes the significant annual cost of chronic kidney
disease (CKD) within the veteran population and encourages the
Department to explore increased patient access to kidney paired
donation (KPD) programs as a solution. KPD can reduce
transplant wait times, improve organ matching, and increase the
rate of completed transplants--all of which reduce long term
CKD costs.
The Committee further notes that existing authorities,
including regulations at 38 C.F.R. Sec. 17.395 and Section 153
of the VA MISSION Act, authorize referrals to non-VA transplant
programs and reimbursement mechanisms to support veteran
participation in networks. The Committee encourages the
Department to utilize these policies and ensure that veterans
in need of a kidney transplant are informed of KPD and
appropriately referred to community-based transplant programs
when such services are not available within VA facilities.
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 remains concerned
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. As a follow up to House Report 119-161,
the Committee requests the Department report to Congress about
the development of more Medical Companion programs across the
VHA system, including identifying barriers for setting up these
programs and providing recommendations to support their
continued development. The Committee reiterates the importance
of ensuring any policy does not jeopardize standard of care
veterans receive.
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, given their heightened exposure to hazards
associated with cancer during their service. Over 60 forms of
cancer disproportionately impact military service members and
most are rare, defined as fewer than six new cases per 100,000
Americans per year. Molecular diagnostics and precision
oncology, including microarray and next generation sequencing,
performed at the first occurrence of cancer can provide vital
information regarding the specific tumor type and its drivers,
which can lead to the most accurate precision medicine for
patients. Therefore, the Committee commends the Department's
Precision Oncology Program and directs the Department to spend
no less than $30.3 million and issue a report no later than 60
days after the enactment of this Act describing the specific
types of molecular diagnostics, such as microarray, whole
exome, whole genome, and RNA-Seq, which the Department is
providing to cancer patients and their frequency of use, as
well as detailed policy for data-sharing practices for cancer
cell lines and models with the external research community.
NAVIGATE Program.--The Committee recognizes the need to
improve access to advanced cancer care for veterans,
particularly in areas with high veteran populations and
elevated cancer incidence rates. The Committee notes the value
of collaboration between the Department and the National Cancer
Institute, including through the NCI-VA Interagency Group to
Accelerate Trials Enrollment (NAVIGATE) program and
partnerships with NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers.
The Committee encourages the VA to leverage existing
partnerships and explore opportunities to expand collaboration
to improve veterans' access to cutting-edge cancer treatments
and clinical research, including precision oncology and
immunotherapy. The Committee further encourages the VA to
assess geographic gaps in access to such care and partnerships,
particularly in States with large veteran populations and high
cancer incidence rates. The Committee directs the VA to submit
a report to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this
Act detailing: (1) the current availability of NCI-supported
clinical research opportunities for veterans across VA medical
facilities; (2) existing partnerships with NCI-designated
comprehensive cancer centers; and (3) options to improve access
to advanced cancer care and clinical research opportunities for
veterans in underserved areas.
Reducing Health and Economic Burden of Chronic Liver
Disease Among Veterans.--The Committee is aware that steatotic
(fatty) liver disease is an increasing challenge for the
Veterans Health System, with up to 30% of VA patients having
this condition. About 70% of people with type 2 diabetes or who
experience obesity have steatotic liver disease. The reported
increased incidence of steatotic liver disease and impaired
liver function among active-duty military service members can
lead to their inability to perform military duties,
disqualifying them from service and increasing their
representation in the Veterans Health System. Therefore, the
Committee recommends the Department take steps to increase
efforts to screen, diagnose and treat veterans with metabolic
dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis or MASH, formerly known
as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH, using non-invasive
diagnostics and FDA-approved treatments, similar to Tricare for
active-duty military, and provide a briefing to the Committee
on these efforts.

CAREGIVER SUPPORT PROGRAM

Caregivers Program.--The Committee provides $3,590,212,000
for the caregivers program. The Committee continues to require
quarterly reporting on obligations for this program.

CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE

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.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Center of Excellence.--
The Committee recognizes that veterans are twice as likely to
develop and die from ALS compared to civilians. Despite this
elevated risk, the VA ALS System of Care does not currently
support dedicated research focused on ALS prevention or risk
mitigation in military and veteran populations. The Committee
directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to evaluate the
feasibility of establishing and ALS Center of Excellence within
the Veterans Health Administration, including opportunities to
build upon existing VA neurology programs, ALS specialty
clinics, and current Centers of Excellence infrastructure. The
evaluation should examine potential organizational models,
workforce and infrastructure requirements, anticipated patient
demand, and estimated costs associated with establishing such
centers. Not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act,
the Secretary shall submit a report to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
outlining the feasibility of establishing ALS Centers of
Excellence and any recommendations for pilot programs or future
implementation.
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 $80,000,000 for the Neurology Centers of Excellence.
This includes $29,000,000 for the Epilepsy Centers, $26,000,000
for the Headache Centers, $9,000,000 for the Multiple Sclerosis
Centers, and $16,000,000 for the Parkinson's Disease, Research,
Education and Clinical Centers.
Parkinson's Disease.--The Committee encourages the
Department to advance and bolster its research efforts on
veterans with Parkinson's disease and related atypical
parkinsonisms. The Committee urges the Department to prioritize
research on the risk factors, particularly associated with
military service, including environmental exposure, in addition
to altering disease progression, addressing disease symptoms,
identifying and understanding disease biomarkers, and advancing
new treatments that benefit veterans.
Stroke Center of Excellence Study.--The Committee
encourages the Secretary of Veterans' Affairs to undertake an
evaluation of current treatments available to veterans for
stroke recovery and rehabilitation, given the sometimes very
debilitating effects and quality of life problems that strokes
can cause. The review should include an evaluation of the
potential benefits of establishing a new program within the
Neurology Centers of Excellence focused on clinical research
and helping veterans regain function after a stroke. Further,
the Committee is aware that there are new FDA approved
implantable neuromodulation devices that have shown great
promise in restoring motor function and improving the quality
of life of veterans who have suffered a stroke, which should be
included in the evaluation.

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.
Strengthening the VA Clinical Workforce Pipeline Through
University Partnerships.--The Committee is concerned about the
shortage of clinicians at VA and supports innovative pathways
to strengthen the workforce pipeline. The Committee is
encouraged by partnerships VA has with universities and
institutions of higher education that support the veteran
population through clinical training placements, veteran-
focused competency development, and workforce pipeline
programs. The Committee encourages the department to expand
collaboration with these institutions to better integrate
students into VA settings and create pathways to full-time
employment.

DENTAL CARE

The recommendation includes $3,626,523,000 to provide
dental care for veterans.
Access to Dental Care.--The Committee recognizes the
importance of dental care as a preventative measure for future
adverse health outcomes. As such, veterans in rural areas may
face longer distances to access dental care, many times at a
higher cost and lacking complete coverage, may be more prone to
adverse health outcomes health diagnoses as a result. As such,
the Committee notes the affordability concerns across veterans
of all disability coverage levels by the Department. The
Committee directs the VHA to conduct a feasibility and cost
assessment on the following: (1) co-pay coverage parity between
the disability rating of the veteran and cost covered by the
Department, (2) existing dental care accessibility across the
Department, with a distinct focus on rural populations and (3)
alternative coverage solutions by the Department that
prioritize an inclusive coverage approach for veterans all of
all statuses.
Dental Care.--The Committee supports the ongoing
implementation of the pilot program to furnish dental care from
the Department to certain veterans diagnosed with ischemic
heart disease established in P.L. 118-210. The Committee urges
the Department to prioritize implementation consistent with
congressional authorization. The Committee further directs the
Department to submit a report within 180 days of enactment of
this Act detailing the status of implementation, including
planned start dates, participating sites, eligibility criteria,
anticipated enrollment, and any barriers to execution.
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.

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
further encourages VA to establish a pilot to evaluate patient
outcomes and cost effectiveness of emerging treatment
modalities.
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

Dermatological Care.--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 requests a
brief no later than 180 days after the enactment of this Act on
Veterans' access to dermatology screening, dermatologic
preventative care, and trained Mohs micrographic surgeons.
Dialysis.--The Committee directs the Department to ensure
that care is not disrupted or diminished for Veterans who
receive treatment under the Nationwide Dialysis Services
contracts. The Committee remains interested in value-based
dialysis payment models and looks forward to continuing to work
with the Department on these efforts.
Lymphedema.--The Committee recognizes the significant
number of veterans who suffer from lymphedema. The Committee
urges the VHA to utilize ongoing scientific progress and engage
with community stakeholders to improve care and modernize the
Veterans Affairs Schedule for Rating Disabilities (VASRD) to
more accurately reflect the burden of lymphedema symptoms and
the effect it has on veterans' quality of life.
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.
Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities
Implementation.--The Committee supports the goal set forth in
the National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to
update and implement government-wide the Food Service
Guidelines for Federal Facilities. The Committee encourages VHA
to use funds to implement Food Service Guidelines across its
food service facilities within one year or sooner of the date
of enactment of this Act. The Committee requests within two
years or sooner of the date of enactment of this Act a report
that includes a baseline and final assessment of how the
Veterans Health Administration's food purchasing and food
service practices align with the Food Service Guidelines,
including how much food is organic, local, sourced from
socially disadvantaged producers, or sourced from companies
using fair labor practices, and the greenhouse gas emissions
associated with the food purchases; an evaluation of the
implementation strategy including associated costs and customer
feedback; and recommendations for changes to procurement or
other laws that would facilitate ongoing implementation of the
Food Service Guidelines.
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 AI can address challenging
and expensive diseases by personalizing treatments and
improving therapy delivery. The Committee urges the Department
explore opportunities to make combined Bioelectronic Medicine-
AI technologies available to Veterans.
Cost-Effective Regenerative Wound Care.--The Committee
recognizes that chronic, complex, and non-healing wounds remain
a significant source of morbidity, disability, and long-term
health care costs within VHA. Further, preventing avoidable
amputations and accelerating wound healing are crucial
components of the Department's limb preservation and value-
based care initiatives. The Committee is aware of commercially
available fish skin-derived regenerative wound products that
have demonstrated potential to accelerate healing, reduce
infection and complication rates, decrease the need for
additional interventions, and therefore reduce overall
expenditures and positively impact veterans' quality of life.
The Department is encouraged to integrate fish skin
regeneration products, where clinically appropriate, into
existing VA wound care, limb preservation, and amputation
prevention initiatives. The Committee urges VHA to promote
greater consistency in formulary access and clinical
availability of regenerative wound care products across VA
medical centers and VISNs.
Digital Pathology Workflows.--The Committee supports the
Department's continued efforts to strengthen tele-oncology and
related telehealth infrastructure, including expansion of VHA
digital pathology footprint and applications. The Committee
recognizes that digital pathology can enhance diagnostic
quality, reduce delays in oncology care and treatment
decisions, and help address specialist shortages at smaller or
rural VA facilities. It will also future proof pathology with
the up-and-coming computational applications which require
digital pathology infrastructure for their use. The Committee
encourages the VA to continue integrating digital pathology
capabilities into its existing tele oncology workflows to
improve care coordination and patient outcomes.
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 Secretary is encouraged to
establish a pilot program to test digital reporting methods for
quality measures. The Secretary, as necessary, is encouraged to
consult the 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.
Rehabilitation Technology Innovation.--The Committee
recognizes the importance of modernizing rehabilitation
services to improve access, outcomes, and care delivery for
veterans. The Committee encourages the Department's
rehabilitation services programs across VHA to evaluate and
incorporate innovative technologies that enhance recovery,
expand access to services, and reduce barriers to care. The
Committee notes that technology-enabled solutions, including
assistive and adaptive technologies such as assistive robotics
platforms may help address workforce constraints and improve
continuity of care, particularly for veterans who face
geographic or mobility challenges, including those living in
rural communities. The Department is directed to identify
opportunities, disseminate best practices across facilities,
and brief the Committee within 180 days on progress toward
integrating technology-enabled rehabilitation services
systemwide.

HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

The Committee provides $3,801,000,000 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.
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. 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. Due to the joint nature
of HUD-VASH funding, the Committee recommends that VA's budget
for case managers be increased commensurate with any increases
in HUD's budget for new vouchers.
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.
Rapid Deployment of Shelter Structures for Homeless
Veterans.--The Committee recognizes the urgent need to expand
temporary emergency housing options for veterans experiencing
homelessness. Traditional construction timelines for permanent
facilities can take several years, leaving vulnerable veterans
without shelter in the interim. The Committee encourages the
Department to explore and, where appropriate, utilize rapidly
deployable commercial shelter and structure solutions to
expedite the creation of temporary emergency housing for
homeless veterans while permanent housing capacity is
developed.
Recovery-Oriented Care.--The Committee notes the National
Center on Homelessness Among Veterans and their development of
housing models which promote recovery-oriented care for
Veterans experiencing, or at risk, of homelessness. The
Committee requests a brief on the effectiveness and success of
recovery-oriented care housing programs in addressing
homelessness for veterans and existing barriers that those
lacking permanent housing people face when attempting to secure
permanent housing.
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 Department is 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 $5,202,461,000 for mental health
programs. Of the total, $3,666,327,000 is for suicide
prevention and treatment programs, including $726,743,000 for
suicide prevention outreach, $312,817,000 for the Veterans
Crisis Line, and $644,000,000 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.
Chronic Disease Monitoring in Veterans Prescribed
Antipsychotics.--The Committee is concerned that veterans
living with serious mental illness such as post-traumatic
stress disorder, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder,
and schizophrenia who are prescribed antipsychotics face
elevated and often underrecognized risks of metabolic,
cardiovascular, and movement-related conditions. When not
monitored, these risks contribute to avoidable suffering,
preventable hospitalizations, and premature mortality. The
Committee directs screening and monitoring practices to be
consistent across the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for
the management of mental health conditions and directs the VA
to standardize these practices systemwide to improve the safety
and quality of care for veterans. The VHA is further encouraged
to coordinate with the Departments of Defense and Health and
Human Services, as well as the Indian Health Service, to
support data sharing, continuity of care, and alignment of
integrated screening and monitoring practices across federal
health systems.
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.
Digital Mental Health Tool.--The Committee remains
concerned by the alarming rates of veteran suicide and is aware
of single multi-functional AI-driven mobile application
platforms that delivers comprehensive mental wellness support,
suicide prevention tools, and transition assistance that has
been used in the Governors Challenge for Suicide Prevention.
The Department is encouraged to review commercial digital
platforms that can provide mental wellness support to veterans.
Faith Based Digital Applications Impact on Mental Health.--
The Committee recognizes that a significant portion of
America's veteran population remains disengaged from the
Department particularly with respect to mental health,
wellness, and community-based support. The Committee further
acknowledges that many veterans--especially those concerned
about stigma, privacy, or institutional barriers--may be more
inclined to engage with trusted, values-aligned, and community-
based resources, including digital, faith-based tools and
networks. The Committee directs the Veterans Experience Office
(VEO) to carry out a pilot program to evaluate, integrate, and
deploy clinically tested, evidence-informed faith-based digital
applications to improve outreach, engagement, and sustained
participation among veterans who have historically not engaged
with VA services. Not later than 180 days after enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a
report detailing the implementation plan. Not later than one
year after enactment, the Secretary shall provide a full report
on progress and initial findings which shall include data on
how such platforms increase engagement, enable greater
interaction with veterans on the community level, enhance the
user experience of the veteran and affect outcomes.
Mental Health Care Session Flexibility at VA Medical
Centers.--The Committee is concerned that local standard
operating procedures at certain VA medical centers may impose
rigid limits on the number or duration of individual
psychotherapy sessions in a manner inconsistent with VHA
Directive 1160.05, which requires evidence-based, patient-
centered care tailored to a Veteran's individual needs,
preferences, and clinical profile. This concern is particularly
acute for high-need Veterans, including those with complex
trauma, chronic comorbidities, or elevated suicide risk, given
that the rate of suicide among Veterans remains significantly
higher than in the general population and that published
research has identified substantial dropout rates from certain
structured PTSD protocols. The Committee directs the Secretary
to review mental health standard operating procedures across
the VHA to ensure that session frequency, duration, and
extended care authorizations are determined by individualized
clinical judgment and are not constrained by arbitrary
numerical thresholds, and that criteria for re-entry to care
and continuity with a preferred clinician are clearly defined
and consistently applied. The Secretary shall submit a report
to the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate not
later than 180 days after enactment of this Act on findings and
any corrective actions taken or planned.
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.
Veterans in Crisis and Involuntary Commitment.--The
Committee is aware of instances in which veterans presenting to
VA facilities seeking acute mental health services are
involuntarily committed and placed in local correctional
facilities for observation or monitoring. The Committee is
concerned that such practices, particularly when alternatives
may be available, could discourage veterans from seeking needed
mental health care. The Committee directs the Department to
submit a report to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations not later than 180 days after enactment of this
Act detailing: (1) the policies, procedures, and criteria used
by VA facilities when determining whether a veteran should be
involuntarily committed; (2) the circumstances under which
veterans are transferred to or held in local correctional
facilities for monitoring or observation; (3) the frequency
with which such placements occur; (4) coordination with state
and local authorities in these cases; and (5) steps the
Department is taking to ensure veterans in crisis receive
timely and appropriate mental health care in clinical settings
whenever possible. The report shall also assess whether these
practices affect veterans' willingness to seek mental health
treatment.
Veterans Crisis Line (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 includes $57,000,000 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.
Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) in Veterans with
COPD.--The Committee recognizes the elevated burden of chronic
lung disease among veterans, including those exposed to burn
pits, particulate matter, environmental toxins, and other
service-related hazards. AATD remains a significant genetic
risk factor for early-onset and progressive chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) and may contribute to accelerated
pulmonary decline in exposed veterans. The Committee encourages
advancement of a testing program using electronic medical
records to help detect and properly treat veterans with COPD
who have AATD and requests an update on plans to implement
guideline-consistent screening, deploy electronic clinical
decision support mechanisms, and improve access to appropriate
specialty care for veterans affected by AATD within 180 days of
the enactment of this Act.
Colorectal Cancer Screening.--Colorectal cancer is the
fourth most common cancer diagnosis among our nation's
veterans. More information is needed to determine why
colorectal cancer is so prevalent among our veteran population,
and if their service, including exposure to burn pits, played a
role. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Department to
conduct a study on the prevalence of colorectal cancer
diagnoses in veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other
environmental hazards while serving overseas.

OPIOID PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAM

The bill includes $655,201,000 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.--The Committee is
concerned that, despite timely formulary review of newly
approved non-addictive opioid alternatives, veterans face
significant barriers to access due to overly restrictive and
inconsistently applied prior authorization requirements within
the VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM). Clinicians report
Criteria for Use language may be interpreted too rigidly,
limiting clinical discretion and, in some cases, creating
standards more burdensome than those applied to opioids with
known risks of dependence. The Committee directs the Secretary
to review and revise, as appropriate, PBM prior authorization
criteria and Criteria for Use language for non-opioid acute and
chronic pain therapies to ensure policies are clinically
appropriate, consistently applied nationwide, and do not
require unnecessary conditions--such as documented opioid
allergy--when not supported by FDA labeling or medical
standards of care. The Committee requests a report within 180
days after the enactment of this Act detailing utilization,
approval and denial rates (including in Community Care), common
reasons for denials, and steps taken to ensure timely,
clinically appropriate access to non-addictive opioid
alternatives for veterans.
Opioid Prescribing Practices.--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 directs the
Department to submit a report to the House and Senate
Committees on Appropriations not later than 180 days after
enactment of this Act detailing: (1) current policies,
procedures, and clinical guidelines governing opioid
prescribing within VA facilities; (2) trends in opioid
prescribing over the past five fiscal years; (3) oversight
mechanisms used to monitor prescribing practices and identify
potential overprescribing; and (4) any additional actions the
Department plans to take to ensure opioids are prescribed only
when clinically appropriate.
Therapeutic Massage Services.--The Committee is concerned
about Veterans' ability access to non-pharmacological, non-
opioid, pain management therapies, such as Medical Massage
Therapy (MMT). VA's directives to the community care program's
third-party administrators to apply Medicare rules to MMT have
resulted in a mass exodus of MMT providers from the provider
networks. Misapplication of inapplicable CMS rules to MMT has
resulted in the TPA's cutting reimbursement rates by as much as
40 percent and often below the cost to provide these services.
This has resulted in the MMT program no longer being available
in all of Kansas, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Wyoming; most of
Vermont, Maine, and Montana; parts of Arizona and New Hampshire
and portions of other states. The Committee urges the
Department to reevaluate its directives on MMT.
VA Transdermal Fentanyl Tapering.--The Committee is aware
that veterans receiving care through the Department experience
disproportionately high rates of opioid use disorder, chronic
pain conditions, and prolonged dependence on high-dose opioid
therapies, including transdermal fentanyl patches. The
Committee is further aware that existing tapering protocols and
medication-assisted treatment modalities do not adequately
address the specific clinical challenges associated with
transdermal fentanyl dependency, contributing to elevated rates
of withdrawal-related relapse and overdose mortality among the
veteran population. The Committee believes the VA should
continue to evaluate innovative, evidence-based approaches that
enhance patient safety, reduce opioid-related harm, and promote
responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources. The Committee
urges the Department to evaluate a patented graduated dose
barrier device designed to support clinician-directed,
individualized tapering of transdermal fentanyl in veterans
who, in consultation with their providers, seek to safely
reduce opioid exposure while maintaining appropriate pain
management.

PHARMACEUTICAL ISSUES

Next Generation Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics.--The Committee
is aware of next generation oral antibiotics that have been
approved for the treatment of multidrug resistant infections
(including wounds, soft tissue and abscess infections) that,
left untreated or undertreated, can result in limb loss or
death. The Committee encourages VHA to ensure that broad
spectrum, next generation antibiotics are available on the VHA
formulary without restrictive criteria for use to treat
veterans whose infections are unlikely to respond adequately to
older and potentially less effective antibiotics.
Novel Program for Optimizing Pain Management.--The
Committee recommends the continued deployment and expansion of
the Novel Program for Optimizing Pain Management. Consistent
with direction included in House Report 119-161 and Senate
Report 119-43, the Committee continues to support the use of
innovative clinical decision support tools and improved
prescribing practices to enhance the treatment of acute and
chronic pain while reducing the risks of tolerance, dependence,
misuse, addiction, and diversion associated with prescription
pain medications. The Committee expects VA to ensure that these
capabilities are available to providers across Veterans Health
Administration facilities and Care in the Community providers
to promote consistent pain management practices.
Prescription Drug Quality.--The availability of safe and
effective prescription drugs has significant implications for
the health of U.S. veterans, the workload of Veterans' Health
Administration 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. The VHA is one of the largest
purchasers of pharmaceuticals in the United States 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 looks forward to receiving the
report as directed in House Report 119-161 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 $42,100,000 for the Center.
Rapid Acting Novel Therapeutics.--The Committee recognizes
the persistent mental health crisis facing veterans, including
high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicide
risk, depression, and related conditions, and the limitations
of existing treatment options for veterans with complex and
treatment-resistant presentations. The Committee is aware of
emerging late-stage clinical evidence supporting the potential
of rapid-acting novel therapeutics currently under FDA review
and the VHA ongoing research efforts, including multi-site
clinical trials and coordinated implementation planning. The
Committee further directs the Department to ensure that
implementation science and infrastructure planning proceed
concurrently with clinical validation in alignment with
regulatory timelines and to provide a briefing to the
Committees on Appropriations not later than 180 days after
enactment detailing research progress, and readiness
milestones.
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 looks forward to the submission of the requested
in H. Rpt. 119-161 related to service dogs.
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
$349,000,000 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 that veterans in rural and Tribal communities often
face significant barriers to care, including long travel
distances, provider shortages, and limited access to specialty
services. Native American veterans may face additional
challenges related to geographic isolation and jurisdictional
complexities between Federal and Tribal health systems that can
further limit access to care. These challenges can delay
treatment and contribute to poorer health outcomes for veterans
in underserved regions. The Committee applauds the integrated
rural healthcare delivery model implemented at the Northern
Arizona VA Health Care System and encourages the Department of
Veterans Affairs to consider expanding this model to VA
facilities with the greatest need, taking into account rural
veteran populations, provider shortages, and geographic access
barriers. The Committee further encourages the use of mobile
clinics, telehealth, and targeted clinical staffing to improve
access to timely care for rural and Tribal veterans.
Transportation Challenges.--The Committee encourages the
Office of Rural Health to use no less than fiscal year 2026 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 $236,933,000 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.
Naloxone by Mail.--The Committee encourages the Department
to increase Veteran access to allow veterans to request
overdose reversal medication (naloxone) online or by phone and
receive it by mail.
Non-Prescription Distribution of Naloxone.--The Committee
supports expanded veteran access to overdose reversal
medication (naloxone) through non-prescription distribution at
VA facilities. The Committee directs the Department to consider
new naloxone distribution models including anonymous access
whenever a VA facility is open. The Committee directs the
Department to report to the Committee within 90 days of
enactment on the budgetary needs, physical infrastructure, and
monitoring required for program management.
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 FDA approved
medication-assisted treatment and counseling.
Tobacco Harm Reduction.--The Committee is concerned that
smoking rates among veterans remain significantly higher than
among civilians, with approximately 27 percent of Iraq and
Afghanistan veterans using tobacco daily compared to 11.5
percent of civilians. While the Department operates a tobacco
cessation program, publicly available information on program
outcomes is limited. The Committee encourages the Department to
coordinate with the FDA to incorporate information on FDA-
authorized nicotine products that may be less harmful than
continued cigarette smoking as part of a broader tobacco
cessation and harm reduction strategy. The Committee also notes
that the Honoring our PACT Act recognizes chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) as a presumptive condition related to
toxic exposure, which may increase related claims and demand
for care. Given the relationship between smoking and COPD, the
Department should consider strengthening cessation efforts by
incorporating evidence-based harm reduction approaches aimed at
reducing cigarette use among veterans.

SUICIDE PREVENTION

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.
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.
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.
Suicide Prevention Data.--The Committee urges the
Department to reconsider data metrics collected for its annual
suicide prevention report. Currently, the Department only
tracks how many veterans die by suicide had interactions with
VA through medical or mental health appointments. The Committee
encourages the Department to consider additional metrics,
including, but not limited to, disability compensation,
education and employment benefit use, home loan use and
foreclosure assistance and participation in housing and food
insecurity programs. This additional data collection allows the
VA to show the correlation between VA benefit usage and the
veterans who die by suicide. It will also allow analysis of the
benefits which have a greater impact on upstream suicide
prevention.
Suicide Prevention Using Predictive Modeling.--The
Committee remains supportive of Department's efforts to
continue to address the growing number of Veteran suicides but
recognizes that there is a need to improve early suicide
indicators and detection using AI and machine learning
technologies that improve operational efficiency and
effectiveness throughout veteran service delivery. The
Committee encourages the Department to consider using all
government service delivery channels (as defined in the
Government Services Delivery Improvement Act (P.L. 118-231)
with omnichannel capabilities and real-time analytics to ensure
that interactions with a veteran can be used to gain
appropriate insights that help the VA better identify veterans
at-risk in real time and allows for the proper use of resources
and decisive actions to be taken.
Veteran Suicides and AI Threat Detection.--The Committee
encourages the Department to implement AI security technology
at Veterans Affairs locations to address the parking lot
suicide problem and increase current safety efforts to protect
Veterans and staff at VA locations. AI threat detection
technology will integrate with security cameras to increase
situational awareness and alerting for the proper authorities.
Veteran Suicide Prevention at VA Facilities.--The VA Office
of Inspector General Report 25-01135-196 found that police
positions were the most frequently reported severe nonclinical
occupational staffing shortage at VA facilities. The Committee
is concerned that these shortages may undermine the VA
facilities' ability to maintain safe environments for staff and
Veterans seeking care. The Committee directs the Department of
Veterans Affairs to submit a report to the relevant Committees
within 90 days of enactment of this Act detailing the policies
procedures, and staffing levels in place to prevent incidents
of self-harm within VA facilities, including an assessment of
VA protocols for screening and securing firearms on VA property
and notifying staff and patients when incidents occur.

TELEHEALTH AND CONNECTED CARE

The bill includes $6,676,902,000 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.
Veterans Telehealth in the U.S. Virgin Islands.--The
Committee urges the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to expand
telehealth infrastructure, services, and connectivity for
eligible veterans residing in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

WHOLE HEALTH

The Committee recommendation includes $116,107,000, 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 $30,193,000 for
National Veterans Sports Programs, including $16,000,000 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 recognizes the game of golf as
a means of therapy and rehabilitation, have allowed veteran
participants to realize demonstrable improvements in mental and
physical health, while also being highly cost-effective.
Introducing veterans to golf has been shown to produce
significant positive health outcomes for veterans in all
communities, including in rural communities, that lead to
greater integration and participation by these veterans in
their families and communities. As such, the Committee urges
the Department to explore opportunities to increase veteran
participation in the game of golf for therapeutic purposes.
Continued Support and Expansion of Whole Health.--The
Committee is pleased by data from the Department which
continues to demonstrate an 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 is aware of the National
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's
recommendation that the Department expand its Whole Health
System (WHS) to all veterans. The Department's independent
evaluation of the program finds that participation by veterans
increased more than 140 percent, resulting in a 24 percent
decrease in total health care costs among enrolled veterans.
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. The Committee awaits the update requested in House
Report 119-161.
Veterans Health Through Wellness and Nutrition.--The
Committee recognizes the importance of optimizing physical and
cognitive health among veterans receiving care through the VHA.
Many veterans experience service-connected injuries, chronic
disease, metabolic disorders, cancer survivorship challenges,
traumatic brain injury, and other conditions for which targeted
nutrition interventions and medically indicated dietary
supplementation may improve recovery, rehabilitation outcomes,
functional capacity, and overall quality of life. The Committee
directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a report
to the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and Senate no later than 180 days after
enactment of this Act on the advisability and feasibility of
providing medically indicated dietary supplementation to
eligible veterans receiving care through the VHA. The report
shall identify categories of veterans for whom dietary
supplementation is commonly recommended by a VA medical
professional or registered dietitian; describe the types of
supplementation most frequently recommended in clinical
practice; whether such supplements are third-party certified;
provide an overview of current statutory and regulatory
limitations governing the use of appropriated funds for such
purposes and the circumstances.

WOMEN VETERANS HEALTH CARE

The recommendation includes a total of $1,444,000,000 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.
Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Awareness for Female
Veterans.--The Committee recognizes that breast cancer is the
most diagnosed cancer among American women and notes that more
research needs to be done to better understand the potential
link between breast cancer and toxic exposure. The Committee
further recognizes that the Department through implementation
of the SERVICE Act, provides eligible Veterans with access to
breast cancer risk assessments and clinically appropriate
mammograms, including for those who may have experienced toxic
exposures during military service. These risk assessments
evaluate factors such as military service history, potential
toxic exposures, and family and personal medical history to
help determine whether additional screening, including
mammography, is warranted. The Committee is concerned that many
Veterans may be unaware of the availability of these risk
assessments and associated screening services. Therefore, the
Committee urges the VHA Office of Women's Health, to develop
and implement a public awareness campaign with existing funds
to inform Veterans and health care providers about existing
breast cancer risk assessment tools and screening eligibility
available through VA. Such outreach should include targeted
communication to female Veterans particularly those who served
in locations associated with potential toxic exposures. The
Committee further directs the Secretary to brief the Committee
not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act on the
Department's strategy to increase awareness and utilization of
these breast cancer risk assessment services.
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.
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 directs VA to continue to ensure women veterans
have access to high quality, well-coordinated care and robust
services as required by the law.
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).

WORKFORCE AND STAFFING ISSUES

Clinical Resource Hubs (CRH).--The Committee notes CRH's
operate as a hub-and-spoke staffing model to address provider
shortages, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Persistent mental health workforce vacancies continue to limit
CRHs' ability to reduce wait times and meet demand. The
Committee encourages the Department allocate proper resources
that aligns with documented access gaps while remaining
fiscally responsible within the broader Medical Services
account. The Committee is directed to brief the Committee not
later than 120 days after enactment on CRH mental health
staffing levels and vacancy rates by VISN, average wait times
for CRH-delivered mental health services, rural and highly
rural veteran utilization, and a plan to achieve and sustain
full staffing capacity.
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.
Honoring Our PACT Act Related Staffing.--To support full
implementation of the Honoring Our PACT Act, the Committee
directs the Department to hire sufficient clinical specialists
to promptly diagnose and treat health conditions that may be
related to toxic exposures.
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 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 uninterrupted.
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.
Women's Health Care at Northport VA Medical Center.--The
Committee is concerned that the Northport VA Medical Center
currently lacks a female obstetrician-gynecologist on staff, a
gap that undermines the ability of women Veterans to receive
comprehensive, gender-sensitive care from a provider of their
choosing at their local VA facility. The Committee recognizes
that women are the fastest-growing segment of the Veteran
population and that access to female specialty care providers
is essential to ensuring women Veterans are well-served at
their local VA. The Committee urges the prioritization of a
female obstetrician-gynecologist at the Northport VA Medical
Center. The Secretary shall report to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate not
later than 180 days after enactment of this Act on the steps
taken to address this staffing gap.

MEDICAL COMMUNITY CARE

Fiscal year 2026 enacted level........................ $34,000,000,000
Fiscal year 2027, appropriation....................... 1,027,000,000
Fiscal year 2027 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 38,700,000,000
Committee 2028 advance appropriation recommendation... 42,000,000,000

The Committee provides $1,027,000,000 in additional to the
previously enacted amount of $38,700,000,000 for fiscal year
2027. The Committee recommendation includes an advance
appropriation of $42,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2028 for
Medical Community Care, of which $2,000,000,000 is available
until September 30, 2029.
Community Care Fee Schedule and Home-Based Services.--The
Committee is concerned that Calendar Year 2026 updates to the
Department's VA Fee Schedule for certain home health aide and
homemaker home health services may reduce provider
participation and disrupt veterans' access to clinically
necessary home-based care in Texas and New Mexico, particularly
in rural and underserved areas. Not later than 60 days after
enactment of this Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs shall
brief the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on: (1)
the rationale, methodology, and data used to establish such
rates; (2) the projected and observed effects on provider
participation, continuity of care, and veterans' access to
services, including in rural areas; (3) actions taken to
preserve continuity of care for affected veterans; and (4)
options available to mitigate disruption in access to medically
necessary home-based services.
Cost Growth.--The Committee is concerned with the growth of
community care at the expense of medical care received at VHA.
As stated in P.L. 115-182, veterans can be referred to
community care if: the Department cannot schedule an
appointment within 20 days for primary care or 28 days for
specialty care, when the drive time is longer than 30 minutes
for primary care or sixty minutes for specialty care, or when
VA is not available to provide a service that the veteran
needs. The Committee directs the Department to report to the
Committee on the average wait times for veterans who receive an
appointment in the community and if there are veterans who were
referred to community care who did not meet the criteria as
outlined in P.L. 115-182.
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.
Eyeglass Fittings.--The Committee supports the inclusion of
eyeglass lens fittings as a covered medical service under the
Veterans Community Care Program and directs the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to implement the amendment to section
1701(6)(C) of title 38, United States Code, in a manner that
expands access for veterans, particularly those in rural
communities who face wait times or geographic barriers to VA
optical services. The Committee directs the Secretary to ensure
that any veteran eligible for community care under section 1703
of title 38, United States Code, may schedule an appointment
for a fitting for eyeglass lenses with a non-Department
provider in geographic proximity to the veteran without
administrative impediment. The Committee further directs the
Secretary to prioritize network development in areas where VA
medical center optical services are unavailable, have extended
wait times, or are otherwise inaccessible to eligible veterans.
Hearing Healthcare Access.--The Committee commends for
exploring an expanding the community-based dental care program
that allows eligible Veterans to receive routine services in
their local communities. The Committee encourages the
Department to examine whether a similar approach could be
applied to hearing health services, including hearing
evaluations and hearing aid services. The Committee believes
that expanding access to community-based hearing care could
improve timeliness of care, reduce unnecessary travel for
Veterans, and alleviate capacity constraints within VA
facilities. The Committee directs the Department to evaluate
options for establishing a comparable community-based access
model for hearing health services, including the feasibility of
a pilot program, and to submit a report to the Committees on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate
not later than 180 days after enactment of this Act describing
its findings, potential implementation pathways, cost
considerations, and any statutory or administrative barriers to
implementation.
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 directs 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, and to provide annual updates to
Congress on the Department's progress on providing access to
long-term care to veterans with severe TBIs.

MEDICAL SUPPORT AND COMPLIANCE

Fiscal year 2026 enacted level........................ $11,480,000,000
Fiscal year 2027 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 12,000,000,000
Committee 2028 advance appropriation recommendation... 12,000,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes an advance
appropriation of $12,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2028 for
Medical Support and Compliance, of which $350,000,000 shall
remain available through September 30, 2029.
Veteran Healthcare Navigation and Care Coordination.--The
Committee recognizes the growing complexity veterans face when
navigating care across multiple systems, including VA
facilities, community care providers, Medicare, and other non-
VA insurance plans. Many veterans, particularly those dually
enrolled in VA healthcare and Medicare, struggle to coordinate
appointments, understand benefit eligibility, manage referrals
between systems, and ensure continuity of care across
providers. The Committee directs the Department of Veterans
Affairs to submit a report to Congress, not later than 180 days
after enactment of this Act, examining the potential benefits
of care coordination and healthcare navigation services for
veterans who receive care through multiple systems. The report
should assess the challenges veterans face coordinating care
across VA, community care, Medicare, and other non-VA insurance
plans; best practices in care coordination that improve patient
outcomes and reduce overall costs; the feasibility of
integrating third-party care coordination services into VA's
Community Care Network; and recommendations for pilot programs
to test innovative care coordination models for veterans with
complex, multi-system healthcare needs.

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Fiscal year 2026 enacted level........................ $9,845,917,000
Fiscal year 2027 advance appropriation (enacted)...... 11,700,000,000
Committee 2028 advance appropriation recommendation... 13,540,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes an advance
appropriation of $13,540,000,000, for fiscal year 2028 for
Medical Facilities, of which $500,000,000 shall remain
available until September 30, 2028.
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.
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.
VA Healthcare System Patient Communication Platform
Expansion.--The Committee is concerned that the Department is
allowing duplicative and fragmented communications
infrastructure to needlessly risk veterans' health outcomes and
degrade the patient experience across the VA health system.
While there is a modern commercial patient communications
system that addresses many of the deficiencies this Committee
is concerned with, it has yet to be implemented. The Committee
encourages the Department to review available texting platform
options that integrate SMS/text capabilities into a single COTS
veteran communication and engagement platform.
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 Outpatient Clinics where
feasible.

MEDICAL AND PROSTHETIC RESEARCH

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $945,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 900,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $900,000,000 for
Medical and Prosthetic Research, available through September
30, 2027. 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. The Committee supports the budget
request to include $57,000,000 for research supported by the
Toxic Exposures Fund.
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 2027 is
$2,367,950,000.
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.
Early Cancer Detection.--The Committee recognizes that
advanced analytical tools, including AI-enabled diagnostics,
can significantly improve early cancer detection and associated
survival and treatment outcomes. The Committee supports the
Tampa VA Medical Center's plans to digitize pathology slides to
support education and AI development, which will aid early
cancer detection. Further, the Committee encourages VA to
accelerate enterprise-wide slide digitization.
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 Committee is
concerned by the lack of public availability of the findings of
all research conducted by or for the Executive Branch relating
to the health consequences of military service in the Persian
Gulf theater of operations during the Persian Gulf War. The
Committee urges the Department to publish disease-specific and
gender-specific mortality data related specifically to Persian
Gulf War veterans. Furthermore, the Committee continues to
encourage the Department to strengthen the training of primary,
specialty, and mental healthcare providers on the effects of
Gulf War illnesses on 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.
Innovative Blood-based Biomarkers for Neurodegenerative
Disorders.--The Committee recognizes the importance of blood-
based biomarkers for early detection and management of complex
neurodegenerative diseases amongst veterans. The Committee
encourages the Department to explore additional research in
this area and adopt necessary practices and policies to
increase and enhance blood-based neuro testing. Key areas of
focus include the further study of blood-based biomarkers in
the differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease from other
dementias, identifying and tracking important diagnostic
intervention points throughout disease progression, and risk
stratification of Disease Modifying Therapy initiation. These
programs are critical components of the Department's
prevention-oriented care strategy and encourages ongoing
refinement and modernization of screening modalities,
technology platforms, and data sharing approaches across the VA
enterprise.
Limb Loss.--The Committee supports the Department's
comprehensive approach to care for veterans living with limb
loss and those at risk of amputation. The Committee also notes
that partnerships connecting veterans to peer visitors, support
networks, and evidence-based educational resources play a vital
role in recovery, mental health, and long-term quality of life.
The Committee encourages the Department to expand efforts to
reach all veteran amputees nationwide and to strengthen its
current program by providing enhanced care coordination
services. The Committee directs the Department to report no
later than 180 days after enactment of this Act on efforts to
enhance care coordination, increase veteran participation in
peer support programs, and address gaps in access to limb loss
resources across the continuum of care.
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. The Committee
looks forward to receiving the report required in House Report
119-161 to study 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 a briefing within 120 days of enactment on its
progress.
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.
Non-Invasive Neurostimulation for Traumatic Brain Injury.--
The Committee is aware of emerging research on non-invasive
deep brain neurostimulation technologies for the treatment of
traumatic brain injury (TBI) and is encouraged by early
findings demonstrating potential benefits for veterans with
treatment-resistant TBI. The Committee encourages the
Department to support additional research evaluating the
safety, efficacy, and potential clinical applications of these
technologies for veterans experiencing treatment-resistant TBI.
Neuro-Interface Prosthetic Technology.--The Committee
commends the Department for its efforts to advance
technological research supporting veterans with limb loss. The
Committee encourages further research toward the development
and implementation of neurologically controlled prosthetic
interfaces for veterans and active-duty service members. To
advance this priority, the Department may collaborate with
industry partners, as appropriate, to advance human--machine
interface capabilities in prosthetic limb technology.
PFAS Research and Testing.--The Committee encourages the
Department to establish a program to test veterans for PFAS
exposure and to provide medical monitoring for veterans with
PFAS levels indicative of significant exposure. The Department
of Veterans Affairs shall submit a brief the Committee on
Appropriations in the House of Representatives and Senate
describing their plans to the Committee no later than 180 days
after enactment.
Research Using Animals.--The Committee is aware that VA
affiliates continue to conduct animal research with funding
provided by non-VA sources. The Department is directed to
provide a report within 180 days of enactment to the Committee
on Appropriations in the House of Representatives and Senate
detailing a comprehensive list of these grants including the
types of research conducted, where the research is conducted
including affiliate name, and justification for this research.

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 2027 is $4,206,990,000.

National Cemetery Administration

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $498,500,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 500,000,000

The Committee recommends $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.
National Cemetery Administration (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, 2028.
Assessing the National Cemetery Administration's Population
Data Collection Methodology.--The Committee expressed concern
in House Report 119-161 that the NCA may not be fully
leveraging all available data sources to effectively target
underserved veteran populations for cemetery services and
currently awaits the update requested.
Burial Allowance and Reimbursement.--The Committee notes
differences in burial allowances between service-connected
disabled veterans who die and are not buried in a VA and non-
service-connected burial allowance. The Committee encourages
NCA examine the feasibility of a single burial allowance
benefit and removal of the distinction between a non-service
connected and service-connected burial allowance.
Emblems of Belief for Headstones and Markers.--The
Committee is concerned that Catholic veterans do not currently
have the option to select a crucifix as an approved emblem of
belief, despite its central significance to the faith of a
substantial portion of the veteran population. The Committee
supports providing a complete and inclusive set of emblem
options that is consistent with the VA's mission and the
constitutional commitment to religious freedom. The Committee
directs the VA, in coordination with the National Cemetery
Administration, to approve the crucifix as an eligible emblem
of belief for inscription on headstones and markers in national
cemeteries not later than 90 days after enactment of this Act.
The VA shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives and the Senate upon completion of this
action.
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific Replacement.--The
Committee notes that the National Memorial Cemetery of the
Pacific has essentially been closed to casketed burials since
1991 and will stop accepting cremated remains by 2036. Given
that the timelines needed to design and build a new national
cemetery, any effort to construct a new cemetery in Hawaii
would need to start immediately to ensure veterans in Hawaii do
not have to rely on national cemeteries in the Continental
United States over 2,200 miles away. To better understand what
options may exist for a new national cemetery in Hawaii, the
Committee directs the NCA to provide a report within 180 days
after enactment of this Act: (1) summarizing the processes
needed to construct a new national cemetery in Hawaii, (2) the
estimated cost for a new national cemetery, and (3) the minimum
size of land needed to support burials for at least 50 years.
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.

Departmental Administration

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $429,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 425,000,000

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 does not provide resources for the Core Human Capital
Management system. The Committee notes the required
authorization for an Assistant Secretary position under the
Warrior Independence and Self-Sufficiency Ethos Office.
The Committee recommendation includes $425,000,000 for
General Administration in the amounts specified below.

($ in thousands)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office1 Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary.............................. $37,200
Office of General Counsel............................ 134,000
Office of Management................................. 76,200
Office of Human Resources Administration............. 83,300
Operations, Security & Preparedness.................. 35,600
Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs....... 15,600
Office of Congressional & Legislative Affairs........ 12,500
Office of Accountability & Whistleblower Protection.. 30,600
Total............................................ $425,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Committee has included bill language to make available
through September 30, 2028, 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.
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.
Office of Management.--The Committee strongly supports the
current structure and function of the Office of Management
within the Department. The Committee directs the Department to
leave this existing structure and function in place as it
effectively supports the constitutional and statutory
responsibilities of Congress by producing accurate, timely, and
certified financial, budgetary, and execution information for
affected Committees.
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 the Department.--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 2026....................... $280,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 268,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $268,000,000 for the
Board of Veterans Appeals. Ten percent of this funding is
available through September 30, 2028.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $5,919,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 5,454,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $5,450,000,000 for
Information Technology Systems. Within the account total, the
Committee allocates $1,350,000,000 for pay and associated
costs; $3,539,200,000 for operations and maintenance; and
$118,900,000 for activations.
The bill makes available three percent of pay and
associated costs and 35 percent of operations and maintenance
funds until September 30, 2028. All development funds are
available until September 30, 2028.
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 of the project costs included in the development
funding chart above and provide an explanation for any
differences in excess of $3,000,000.
Claims Processing.--The Committee recognizes the importance
of the Department's ongoing efforts to modernize the Veterans
Benefits Administration's legacy systems. The Committee is
concerned that the Department does not maintain data rights
under all its technology modernization contracts. The Committee
directs the Department to retain robust data rights in major IT
contracts to ensure security, oversight, competition, and
future system migration. The Committee further encourages the
use of governed artificial intelligence solutions with
appropriate human oversight and measurable performance
standards to improve outcomes and the Veteran experience. The
Committee expects OIT to provide enterprise-wide leadership
through Department-wide architecture, security, and deployment
standards.
Cyber Incidents.--The Committee recognizes adversaries
increasingly target the Department's information systems to
disrupt healthcare delivery, benefits administration, and other
mission-critical services; compromise veteran data; access
sensitive personal and medical information; and establish
persistent access across the VA enterprise. As cyber incidents
grow in frequency and sophistication, effective data backup and
recovery capabilities are essential to ensuring continuity of
care and uninterrupted delivery of benefits. The Committee is
concerned that the Department inconsistently implements,
validates, or aligns data backup, recovery, and restoration
capabilities with mission recovery requirements. This
fragmented approach affects systems supporting the VHA and
benefits processing. This assessment should include testing of
backup integrity and restoration processes; the ability to meet
defined recovery time and recovery point objectives for
mission-essential systems; and adoption of architectures
incorporating immutable and isolated backups to protect against
destructive cyber activity, data corruption, and credential
compromise.
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.
Digital Identity Solutions.--The Committee notes the
growing need to modernize online identity verification
solutions across government to protect against fraud,
strengthen digital identity nationwide, and support American
users. The agency should replace legacy checks with multi-
layered, high assurance verification to deliver a more secure,
seamless experience while saving taxpayer funding. The
Committee therefore directs the agency to utilize commercially
available, user-consented and reusable digital identity
solutions that support high-assurance identity proofing and
authentication independently certified to meet or exceed
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Identity
Assurance Level 2 (IAL2) guidelines to achieve the highest
possible pass rates, fraud prevention, and cost reduction.
Generative Artificial Intelligence.--The Committee
recognizes that emerging Generative Artificial Intelligence
technologies can improve health outcomes for veterans by
enhancing clinical decision-making, strengthening care
coordination, and accelerating the adjudication of veterans'
benefits. The committee notes that effective use of such
technologies depends on the Department's ability to prepare and
structure its medical records, benefits documentation, claims
files, and other data assets for integration into modern AI-
enabled systems. The Committee requests a brief assessing the
readiness of the Department's data assets for use with
Generative Artificial Intelligence applications, including an
evaluation of data preparation capabilities and any data
readiness gaps that may limit the Department's ability to
leverage such technologies to improve healthcare outcomes and
benefits delivery for veterans.
Identity Governance and Administration (IGA) for AI
Agents.--The Committee remains concerned that the Department
has unsuccessfully remediated ongoing Identity Governance and
Administration (IGA) deficiencies, despite the caution and
directive in House Report 119-161. While the Committee welcomes
rapid AI adoption, it is concerned by the proliferation of
autonomous ``Shadow IT'' agents operating without an adequate
non-human identity framework. Accordingly, the Committee urges
the Department to establish a commercially-procured AI Identity
Governance Lab and Agentic Blueprint capability to discover and
govern non-human identities. Any effort shall be consistent
with the interagency Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation
(CDM) program, address critical privacy gaps identified in GAO-
26-107681, and align with emerging NIST standards for AI agent
authorization.
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.
Website Archives.--The Committee reminds the Department
that funds shall not be available for the purpose of the
permanent deletion or removal of a federal government webpage
or dataset that constitutes a federal record until 48 hours
after the Department has provided written notice to the House
of Representatives and Senate Appropriations Committees. Notice
to these committees must include (1) confirmation that the
webpage or dataset will be archived in accordance with the
Federal Records Act or Presidential Records Act, as applicable,
and any other applicable laws, including the Paperwork
Reduction Act, and (2) justification for the deletion or
removal. These requirements do not apply to regular content
maintenance updates and changes to existing webpages nor to
content modernization efforts that result in consolidating and
redirecting content in legacy content management systems to
largely equivalent content in modernized content management
systems.
VA Network Security Modernization.--The Committee
recognizes that persistent VA Inspector General findings,
including the failure to adequately segment medical devices
from general network access, and independent cybersecurity
assessment's recommendation to implement zero trust
architecture indicates fundamental deficiencies in the
Department's network security model. The Committee urges the
Chief Information Officer, in coordination with the Veterans
Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, and
National Cemetery Administration, to conduct a comprehensive
assessment of the current network security infrastructure,
including all circuits, appliances, remote access solutions,
medical device connectivity, and associated contracts and
costs.

VETERANS ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $3,400,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 3,400,000,000

The bill includes $3,400,000,000 for Veterans Electronic
Health Record. This 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. [Within the
total, the bill includes $375,000,000 for the electronic health
record contract; $191,009,000 for infrastructure readiness; and
$327,890,000 for program management. Funding is made available
for three fiscal years.]
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 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.
Medication Knowledge Bases and Clinical Decision Support
Tools.--As the Department resumes deployment of its modernized
EHR system across additional VA medical facilities, the
Committee emphasizes the importance of preserving flexibility
within the EHR ecosystem, particularly with respect to
medication management, drug knowledge bases, and clinical
decision support (CDS) capabilities. The Committee recognizes
that independent, evidence-based medication knowledge bases and
CDS tools play a critical role in ensuring patient safety,
supporting clinician decision-making, and keeping pace with
evolving clinical guidelines. The Committee encourages the
Department to ensure that its EHR remains modular and
interoperable, such that the VA retains the ability to adopt,
layer, or substitute external medication knowledge bases and
CDS technologies, including those provided by independent
vendors, as clinical needs evolve.
System Sustainment.--The Committee recognizes the
Department's critical juncture in its IT modernization efforts.
The Committee remains concerned that competing modernization
needs and priorities may create systemic challenges in software
procurement and management that impacts Veterans access to
quality care. The ongoing EHRM rollout, coupled with rapid
technological advancement in AI and cloud-native solutions,
creates tension between the need for current Commercial Off-
The-Shelf (COTS) solutions and long-term strategic planning.
The current approach of targeted system decommissioning and
portfolio rationalization, while generating cost savings, may
inadvertently limit the Department's ability to adopt
innovative COTS solutions that could enhance Veteran services
and operational efficiency. In addition, the Department has
identified millions in wasted spending on duplicate software
licenses and poor asset management, highlighting the need for
more strategic COTS procurement and oversight processes. Using
COTS software may offer benefits over custom development for
individual medical centers, through cost savings, faster
deployment, standardization, proven reliability, and reduced IT
burden. Certain COTS applications can interface with the new
EHRM to reduce disruptions in Veterans' care and the clinical
teams' productivity. The Committee urges the CIO and the Under
Secretary of Health to standardize widely adopted COTS
applications to improve Veterans' access to care, clinicians'
productivity, the normalization of data, and in support of the
Veterans Health Administration principles of high-reliability
practices across the healthcare system where practical.
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 2026....................... $296,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 290,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $290,000,000 for
fiscal year 2027 for the Office of the Inspector General. The
bill makes up to ten percent of this funding available until
September 30, 2028.
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 2026....................... $1,394,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 660,670,000

The Committee recommendation includes $660,670,000 for
Construction, Major Projects for fiscal year 2027 which shall
remain available until September 30, 2031. The Committee
supports the Department's efforts for projects in Indianapolis,
IN, land acquisition in San Antonio and modernization efforts
at NCA facilities. The Committee recognizes the Department's
intent to utilize up to $1,450,000,000 from the Recurring
Expenses Transformational Fund for associated construction
costs.
The Committee reminds the Department that the budget
justification submission document requirements established in
section 258 of Division A of Public Law 114-223 remain in
permanently in effect.
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.
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.
San Antonio Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center.--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 encourages the Department to
continue advancing this effort and to prioritize the timely
completion of the planning process. The Committee directs the
Department of Veterans Affairs to submit a report to the
Committees on Appropriations not later than 90 days after
enactment of this Act detailing the status and findings of the
feasibility study and Environmental Impact Statement, the
anticipated timeline for site selection and acquisition, the
projected schedule for design, construction, and project
completion, and any anticipated resource requirements necessary
to support replacement of the existing hospital.
Activation Planning for the El Paso VA Medical Center.--The
Committee notes the ongoing construction of the new Department
of Veterans Affairs medical center in El Paso, Texas, which
will serve a large veteran population across West Texas and
surrounding regions. The Committee directs the Department of
Veterans Affairs to provide a briefing to the Committee on
activation planning for the facility, including workforce
recruitment strategies, projected clinical staffing levels,
specialty care capacity, medical equipment procurement
timelines, and projected patient demand within the facility's
catchment area. The briefing should also include plans for
coordination with nearby Department of Defense medical
facilities, including William Beaumont Army Medical Center, to
ensure continuity of care for transitioning servicemembers
entering the VA health system, as well as coordination with
local and regional transportation providers and relevant local
government entities to address potential travel burdens within
the facility's catchment area and ensure veterans are able to
reliably access the new facility once operational.
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.
Full Service Hospitals.--The Committee remains supportive
of the establishment of a full-service VA medical center in New
Hampshire; however the Department has provided no updates on
the status of the feasibility study, not have they communicated
a timeline for completion of a study. The Committee directs the
VA to provide an update on the study within 180 days and
provide the completed feasibility study to the Committee.
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.
Legacy Construction Projects.--The Committee is concerned
about the cancellation of the VA health care facility and
columbarium in Alameda, CA and the Building 40 project at the
San Francisco VA Medical Center in San Francisco, CA. The
Committee directs the Department to submit a report to the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 60 days of
enactment of this Act that includes a detailed analysis of what
has been obligated on these projects, what funding remains, and
a rationale for why these projects were cancelled.
Additionally, the report should include detail on expired
funds, and any funds reallocated to the recurring expense
transformation fund associated with these projects. The report
should also include details on the Department's plan to excess
or dispose of the Alameda Point site and its plan to identify a
new location for the Alameda Point VA health care facility and
columbarium.
The Committee provides funding for Major Construction in
the specified amounts below:

CONSTRUCTION, MAJOR PROJECTS
(In thousands of dollars)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Project Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Veterans Health Administration (VHA):
Indianapolis, IN--Replacement Medical Center, New $1,641,570
Central Utility Plant, Replacement Multi-
Specialty Outpatient Clinic, and Associated
Parking.........................................
San Antonio, TX--Land Acquisition for New 30,000
Healthcare Facility.............................
Total, VHA................................... 1,671,570
National Cemetery Administration (NCA):
Bridgeville, PA--National Gravesite of the 97,700
Alleghenies--Phase 4--Gravesite Development and
Cemetery Improvements...........................
Minneapolis, MN--Ft. Snelling--Gravesite 107,500
Development and Cemetery Expansion..............
Rittman, OH--Ohio Western Reserve--Phase 4 144,000
Gravesite Development...........................
Holly, MI--Great Lakes NC--Gravesite Expansion... 34,900
Total, NCA................................... 384,100
General Administration/Staff Offices:
Department Advance Planning and Design Fund for 5,000
Major Construction..............................
Total, Major Construction.................... $2,060,670,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONSTRUCTION, MINOR PROJECTS

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $350,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 318,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $318,000,000 for
Construction, Minor Project for fiscal year 2027, of which
$200,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2031,
and 118,000,000 shall remain available until expended.
In addition, the Committee supports reallocating
$50,000,000 from the Recurring Expenses Transformational Fund.
Laredo VA Clinic Modernization and Expansion.--Consistent
with the Department's Strategic Capital Investment Planning
process, the Committee directs the Department of Veterans
Affairs to assess the Laredo VA Clinic's current and future
capacity needs, including any modernization, expansion, lease,
minor construction, or non-recurring maintenance actions
necessary to ensure adequate access to care. Not later than 90
days after enactment of this Act, the Department shall brief
the Committees on Appropriations on the current and projected
veteran demand in the Laredo service area, any infrastructure,
space, safety, utilization, or access gaps identified at the
clinic, capital options under consideration to address such
gaps, estimated costs and timelines, and any barriers to timely
action.
VA Medical Center Infrastructure Project Transparency.--The
Committee is concerned that the Department has not adequately
communicated with Veterans and the surrounding communities
regarding the status and timeline of ongoing construction
efforts at VA Medical Centers, including those at the Northport
VA Medical Center. Improved communication plans from the
Department on the status of projects, anticipated or associated
disruptions from construction, timeline changes, and impacts on
facility access would benefit veterans and the community at
large.
Weld County, CO Clinic.--The Committee encourages the
Department review current demographic data including, veteran
population density, driving distances, and existing appointment
wait times to evaluate if a new clinic is required in Weld
County, CO or greater Northeastern Colorado.

GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF STATE EXTENDED CARE FACILITIES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $275,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 171,000,000

The Committee recommendation includes $171,000,000 for
fiscal year 2027 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.
Mobility Rehabilitation Technologies.--The Committee
recognizes that State Veterans Homes serve an aging veteran
population with significant mobility and rehabilitation needs.
The Committee directs the Department to evaluate and, where
appropriate, pilot innovative mobility rehabilitation
technologies that may improve mobility outcomes, reduce fall
risk, and support rehabilitation services for veterans
receiving long-term care.
Modernization of State Home Program Digital Services.--The
Committee supports efforts to modernize and digitize the State
Home Program application and eligibility process, and related
workflows, to ensure they are mobile responsive, user-centered,
and fully compliant with Public Law 115-336. Modernization
should prioritize replacing manual and paper-based processes
with standardized, end-to-end electronic workflows leveraging
commercial-off-the-shelf technologies; improving system
performance, reliability, and scalability; and integrating
responsible artificial intelligence capabilities to streamline
processing and reduce administrative burden.
Resident Advocacy.--The Committee encourages installing a
resident advocate in every domiciliary facility of the
Department of Veterans Affairs and State Veterans Home to serve
as a direct line of contact between the Secretary, veterans,
and their families.
Veteran Home Infrastructure.--The Committee recognizes the
longstanding role of State Veterans Homes in providing nursing,
domiciliary, and adult day health care to veterans and notes
recent increases in VA enrollment and demand for services. The
Committee directs VA to study alternative capital and
partnership models--such as lease-to-own, lease-back, public-
private partnerships, and intergovernmental support
arrangements--that could reduce upfront costs, accelerate
delivery of modern care settings, and enable co-located
services that improve access and outcomes for veterans. The
Committee expects a report with financial models, legal and
oversight analysis, and recommended pilots to be submitted
within 120 days of enactment.

GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF VETERANS CEMETERIES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $150,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 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 2026....................... $52,676,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 54,593,000,000

The bill provides $54,593,000,000 for the Cost of War Toxic
Exposure Fund (TEF) for fiscal year 2027 for veterans medical
care related to toxic exposures.
Center for Toxic Exposures within VISN.--The Committee
understands that toxic exposed veterans have unique health
needs, often leading to chronic and long-term health
conditions. These veterans need specialized care from
environmental medicine experts, toxicologists, neurologists,
and oncologists and may benefit from a central office within
each VISN dedicated to providing guidance and expert care for
their unique health needs. The Committee directs the Department
to provide a study within 180 days of enactment to determine if
toxic exposed veterans would benefit from the creation of a
Center for Toxic Exposure within each VISN.
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 Exposure 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.
Review of Processes to Remove Presumptive Conditions under
PACT Act.--The Committee is concerned about VA processes when
deciding to remove a disease as a presumptive condition under
the PACT Act. The Committee directs the Department to provide a
report that includes the scientific evidence that the
Department relied on when determining a disease should no
longer be considered presumptive under PACT Act guidelines. The
Committee directs no disease be removed as a presumptive
condition under the PACT Act until the report is received.
Toxic Exposed Veterans at Nevada Test and Training Range.--
The Committee is aware of certain members of the Armed Forces
who are unable to make claims for health care and disability
compensation with the Department due to a classification issue
related to their assigned duty station, such as at the Nevada
Test and Training Range. Within 120 days of enactment of this
Act, the Department is directed to issue a report, in
coordination with the Department of Defense, that outlines a
process the Department will take to identify veterans impacted
by this classification issue and the policies and procedures
the Departments will take to assist these veterans with their
health care and disability compensation concerns.

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
2027. 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 2027 for ``Compensation and Pensions'',
``Readjustment Benefits'', and ``Veterans Insurance and
Indemnities'' for payment of accrued obligations recorded in
the last quarter of fiscal year 2026.
Section 207. Allows for the use of fiscal year 2027 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, Diversity and Inclusion, 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.
Section 219. Provides up to $710,778,000 of fiscal year
2027 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 $760,767,000 of fiscal
year 2027 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. Includes language related to diabetes
monitoring supplies and equipment.
Section 224. 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 225. 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 226. 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.
Section 227. 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.
Section 228. 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 229. 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 230. 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 231. 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 232. 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 233. Requires the Department to use the mammography
screening guidelines announced by the Secretary on May 10,
2017, through January 1, 2028.
Section 234. Allows the use of Medical Services funding for
assisted reproductive technology treatment and adoption
reimbursement for veterans and their spouses.
Section 235. Prohibits any funds from being used in a
manner that is inconsistent with statutory limitations on
outsourcing.
Section 236. Pertains to exceptions for Indian- or Native
Hawaiian-owned businesses contracting with the Department.
Section 237. Directs the elimination over a series of years
of the use of Social Security numbers in VA programs.
Section 238. 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 239. Prohibits funds from being used to transfer
funding from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to
any other VA account.
Section 240. Permits funding to be used in fiscal years
2027 and 2028 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 241. 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 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 2027
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.
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 2027 and 2028 ``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, suicide prevention
programs, Caregivers program, National Center for PSTD,
Neurology Center of Excellence, rural health care, veterans
homelessness programs, telehealth services, opioid prevention,
and the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program.
Section 251. Language regarding unobligated balances.
Section 252. Requires quarterly reports on the status of
certain funds.
Section 253. Includes bill language for certain
obligations.
Section 254. Language regarding closure of Department of
Veterans Affairs facilities.
Section 255. Establishes a timeline for construction in
accordance with a lease.
Section 256. Prohibits procurement of certain information
technology equipment.
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 funding related to contractor
performance.
Section 259. Includes language related to staffing levels.
Section 260. Includes language related to a community-based
outpatient clinic in Bakersfield, California.
Section 261. Includes language related to Veterans Crisis
Line.

TITLE III

RELATED AGENCIES

American Battle Monuments Commission

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $110,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 107,925,000

The recommendation includes $107,925,000 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.
Flower Program.--The Committee recognizes the importance of
the AMBC's program allowing family members and loved ones to
honor fallen service members buried or memorialized at ABMC
cemeteries overseas through the placement of flowers. The
Committee recognizes that the Commission is taking steps to
restart the program and expects it to be operational by May 25,
2026, in time for Memorial Day. The Committee directs that not
than 120 days after the program becomes operational, the
Commission shall submit a report to the Committee on: (1) the
status of program implementation; (2) the number of flower
orders received and fulfilled; (3) any operational or
logistical challenges encountered; (4) steps taken to ensure
timely processing and placement of orders; and (5) any
additional resources or authorities needed to sustain and
improve the program. The Committee expects the Commission to
keep the Committee informed of any significant issues affecting
program performance

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 2026....................... $49,000,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 50,000,000

The recommendation includes $50,000,000 for Salaries and
Expenses for the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans
Claims.
The Committee recognizes the Court provides veterans and
their families independent judicial review of benefits
decisions made by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the
increasing caseload experienced in recent years. The Committee
encourages expedient appointment of judges to fill current
vacancies to prevent a buildup of a backlog.

Department of Defense--Civil

Cemeterial Expenses, Army

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $118,780,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 118,000,000

The recommendation includes $118,000,000 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 $77,000,000 for the
Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) Trust Fund, including
$2,000,000 for capital projects and $27,000,000 from the
general fund of the Treasury.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $50,928,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 48,000,000

The Committee makes these operation and maintenance funds
available until September 30, 2028 to provide AFRH greater
ability to respond to emergency situations and ensure stable
operations.

CAPITAL PROGRAM

Appropriation, fiscal year 2026....................... $2,072,000
Committee recommendation, fiscal year 2027............ 2,000,000

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.
District of Columbia National Guard Armory.--The Committee
recognizes the critical role of the District of Columbia
National Guard in supporting homeland defense, disaster
response, and civil support missions in the Nation's capital.
The Committee notes that the District of Columbia National
Guard currently operates from facilities located at the RFK
Stadium campus. As the RFK Stadium site has been transferred to
the District of Columbia for redevelopment, the National Guard
will be required to relocate its operations from the existing
armory and associated facilities, including a potential
relocation land owned by the Armed Forces Retirement Home. The
Committee expects continued updates on relocation plans and
cost estimates.
Sheridan Building Renovation.--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 payments to and
supervision of fiduciaries.
Section 414. The bill includes language prohibiting the use
of funds to support or defeat legislation pending before
Congress.
Section 415. The bill includes language related to smoke
free policies at VA Health Care Facilities.
Section 416. The bill includes language establishing a
``Spending Reduction Account'' in the bill.

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.

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.

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 $32,324,190 in fiscal year 2028 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 sub-accounts 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 2027 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
2027 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 2027 to the Joint Department of Defense Department
of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund.
Language is included under Title II allowing fiscal year
2027 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 tttie 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.

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.................... $2,404,323,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air Force........................... AK..................... BCE Pavements and Eielson Air Force Base $16,000,000 Begich
Grounds Facility.
Army................................ AL..................... Access Control Point Anniston Army Depot... 53,000,000 Rogers (AL)
(INC).
Air Force........................... CA..................... Construct Vehicle Edwards Air Force Base 4,500,000 Fong
Search Area AFRL Gate
ECP: Minor
Construction.
Navy and Marine Corps............... FL..................... Multi Aircraft Paint & Naval Air Station 28,225,000 Rutherford
Strip Facility: Jacksonville.
Design.
Navy and Marine Corps............... FL..................... Child Development NAS Whiting Field..... 4,135,000 Patronis
Center: Design.
Air Force........................... GA..................... Moody Air Force Base.. Military Working Dog 15,900,000 Scott, A. (GA)
Flight Operations
Facility.
Navy and Marine Corps............... GU..................... Defense Access Roads Naval Base Guam....... 16,500,000 Moylan
(INC).
Air National Guard.................. IA..................... Repair Runway 13-31 Sioux Gateway Airport. 38,500,000 Feenstra
(INC).
Army Reserve........................ IL..................... Area Support Phillip H. Sheridan 1,710,000 Schneider
Maintenance Activity: Army Reserve Center.
Design.
Army National Guard................. IN..................... Aircraft Maintenance Shelbyville, Indiana.. 27,500,000 Shreve
Hangar (INC).
Army................................ LA..................... Rotational Unit Fort Polk............. 55,000,000 Johnson (LA)
Billeting Area (INC).
Navy and Marine Corps............... NC..................... Amphibious Combat Camp Lejeune.......... 24,140,000 Murphy
Vehicle (ACV)
Operation Facilities
(INC).
Defense-Wide........................ NC..................... SOF Operations Fort Bragg............ 55,000,000 Hudson
Ammunition Supply
Point Phase 2 (INC).
Air Force........................... OH..................... Human Performance Wing Wright-Patterson Air 21,000,000 Turner
Laboratory (INC). Force Base.
Air Force........................... OK..................... E-7 AWACS Squadron Tinker Air Force Base. 55,000,000 Cole
Operations Facility
(INC).
Air Force........................... TN..................... Installation Access Arnold Air Force Base. 17,600,000 Desjarlais
Control Point Gate 2
Upgrade.
Air Force........................... TX..................... Gate Repairs: Design.. Dyess Air Force Base.. 4,500,000 Arrington
Air Force........................... UT..................... F-35 Canopy Repair Hill Air Force Base... 6,500,000 Moore (UT)
Facility: Design.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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):

CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS, AGRICULTURE, LEGISLATIVE BRANCH, MILITARY
CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND EXTENSIONS ACT, 2026

(Public Law 119-37)

* * * * * * *

DIVISION D--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS,
AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

* * * * * * *

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, 2026,
for ``Medical Services'', ``Medical Community Care'', ``Medical
Support and Compliance'', and ``Medical Facilities'', up to
$739,918,000, 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 non-medical 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.

(dollars in thousands)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations
Last year of Authorization in last year Appropriations
Agency/program authorization level of in this bill
authorization
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Military Construction, Army..................... 2026 2,072,659 2,381,909 2,131,959
Military Construction, Navy and Marine Cors..... 2026 6,772,465 5,725,724 5,508,034
Military Construction, Air Force................ 2026 3,394,773 3,926,273 3,712,473
Military Construction, Defense-Wide............. 2026 2,976,120 3,784,301 3,757,301
Military Construction, Army National Guard...... 2026 430,230 272,930 198,380
Military Construction, Air National Guard....... 2026 810,746 292,546 291,264
Military Construction, Army Reserve............. 2026 207,239 92,239 42,239
Military Construction, Navy Reserve............. 2026 52,255 52,255 2,255
Military Construction, Air Force Reserve........ 2026 123,658 116,468 60,458
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Security 2026 531,832 481,832 481,832
Investment Program.............................
Family Housing Construction, Army............... 2026 228,558 228,558 228,558
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Army.. 2026 378,418 388,418 388,418
Family Housing Construction, Navy and Marine 2026 177,597 177,597 177,597
Corps..........................................
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Navy 2026 374,108 384,108 384,108
and Marine Corps...............................
Family Housing Construction, Air Force.......... 2026 274,230 274,230 274,230
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Air 2026 359,765 369,765 369,765
Force..........................................
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, 2026 53,374 53,374 52,156
Defense-Wide...................................
Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement 2026 8,315 8,315 8,315
Fund...........................................
Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied 2026 497 497 497
Housing Improvement Fund.......................
Base Realignment and Closure Account............ 2026 460,161 465,161 465,161
Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Major Construction... done on .............. 1,394,000 660,670
project basis
Armed Forces Retirement Home.................... 2026 77,000 80,000 77,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

BUDGETARY IMPACT OF FY27 MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND
RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, PREPARED IN CONSULTATION WITH THE
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE PURSUANT TO SECTION 308(A) OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT OF 1974

[IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS]

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 submcommittees: Subcommittee
on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and
Related Agencies
Discretionary............................... $157,000 - - - $157,000 \1\$118,345
Mandatory................................... - - - - - - 337,513 \1\313,193
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Includes 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:
2027................................................... \1\$324,096
2028................................................... 75,432
2029................................................... 15,563
2030................................................... 6,320
2031 and future years.................................. 6,342
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Excludes 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 \1\292 87
local governments for 2027.......
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1Excludes outlays from prior-year budget authority.

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,
2027:
The Subcommittee on Military Construction, Department of
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on March
15, 2026, entitled ``Member Day''.
Testimony received from various Members of
the U.S. House of Representatives
The Subcommittee on Military Construction, Department of
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies held a hearing on March
25, 2026, entitled ``Oversight Hearing--Quality of Life in the
Military''.
The Subcommittee received testimony from:
Sergeant Major Michael R. Weimer, U.S. Army,
Sergeant Major of the Army, Department of Army
Master Chief Petty Officer John Perryman,
U.S. Navy, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy,
Department of the Navy
Sergeant Major Carlos A. Ruiz, U.S. Marine
Corps, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Marine Corps
Chief Master Sergeant David R. Wolfe, U.S.
Air Force, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force,
Department of the Air Force
Chief Master Sergeant John F. Bentivenga,
U.S. Space Force, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space
Force, Space Force

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 2026 and budget
estimates presented for fiscal year 2027.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

MINORITY VIEWS

The fiscal year 2027 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 laying off thousands of dedicated and
non-partisan federal employees, 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.
Once again, this Administration has failed to produce a
budget on time, and the bill was written without any analysis
or justification usually provided 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 six hearings the
subcommittee normally holds every year and these hearings were
held without seeing any budget request materials. The
subcommittee did not receive testimony from the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs, whose discretionary budget makes up 88
percent of the bill. These hearings are necessary to hold the
Administration accountable while increasing transparency and
public awareness. Furthermore, all 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.
While we appreciate the efforts made to accommodate
Democratic priorities, the funding levels and policy riders in
the MilCon-VA bill made it a challenge for outright Democratic
support. The bill inadequately funds military construction and
quality of life programs for our servicemembers by $9 billion
when compared to the President's request. It fails to fulfill
our commitment to NATO by underfunding the security investment
program by $122 million. However, the bill does include funding
for resiliency, PFAS remediation, and barracks, child
development centers, and privatized housing oversight, all
important and bipartisan issues. For the Department of Veterans
Affairs, health care is fully funded but there are deep cuts to
programs like the Electronic Health Records Management program
and construction programs. The bill does not include the myriad
of offensive policy riders from last year but it maintains
policy riders on Guantanamo Bay and the National Instant
Criminal Background Check System.
Democrats tried to address these concerns and demanded six
changes through amendments at full committee markup. While
common sense amendments, such as a request for a study on the
proposed Triumphal Arch failed, Democrats were successful in
adopting two significant provisions. These two provisions
provide advance funding of $53.7 billion for the Toxic
Exposures Fund (TEF), and includes a 25 percent withhold of the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs budget until he testifies before
the committee, significant improvements to the bill.
While the bill is not the bill Democrats would have
written, it is a much-improved bill from last year. The
Chairman worked in good faith towards bipartisanship both in
drafting his bill and in the compromise reached during full
committee markup, leading to unanimous passage out of full
committee. We look forward to continuing to work with the
majority as the bill moves through the process.

Rosa DeLauro.
Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

[all]