H.R.3944 - Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026 119th Congress (2025-2026) Section Summary:

Administrative Provisions (including transfer of funds) Sec. 201. Any appropriation for fiscal year 2026 for “Compensation and Pensions”, “Readjustment Benefits”, and “Veterans Insurance and Indemnities” may be transferred as necessary to any other of the mentioned appropriations: Provided, That, before a transfer may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and such Committees issue an approval, or absent a response, a period of 30 days has elapsed. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 202. Amounts made available for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, in this or any other Act, under the “Medical Services”, “Medical Community Care”, “Medical Support and Compliance”, and “Medical Facilities” accounts may be transferred among the accounts: Provided, That any transfers among the “Medical Services”, “Medical Community Care”, and “Medical Support and Compliance” accounts of 1 percent or less of the total amount appropriated to the account in this or any other Act may take place subject to notification from the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of the amount and purpose of the transfer: Provided further, That any transfers among the “Medical Services”, “Medical Community Care”, and “Medical Support and Compliance” accounts in excess of 1 percent, or exceeding the cumulative 1 percent for the fiscal year, may take place only after the Secretary requests from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and an approval is issued: Provided further, That any transfers to or from the “Medical Facilities” account may take place only after the Secretary requests from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and an approval is issued. Sec. 203. Appropriations available in this title for salaries and expenses shall be available for services authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code; hire of passenger motor vehicles; lease of a facility or land or both; and uniforms or allowances therefore, as authorized by sections 5901 through 5902 of title 5, United States Code. Sec. 204. No appropriations in this title (except the appropriations for “Construction, Major Projects” and “Construction, Minor Projects”) shall be available for the purchase of any site for or toward the construction of any new hospital or home. Sec. 205. No appropriations in this title shall be available for hospitalization or examination of any persons (except beneficiaries entitled to such hospitalization or examination under the laws providing such benefits to veterans, and persons receiving such treatment under sections 7901 through 7904 of title 5, United States Code, or the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)), unless reimbursement of the cost of such hospitalization or examination is made to the “Medical Services” account at such rates as may be fixed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 206. Appropriations available in this title for “Compensation and Pensions”, “Readjustment Benefits”, and “Veterans Insurance and Indemnities” shall be available for payment of prior year accrued obligations required to be recorded by law against the corresponding prior year accounts within the last quarter of fiscal year 2025. Sec. 207. Appropriations available in this title shall be available to pay prior year obligations of corresponding prior year appropriations accounts resulting from sections 3328(a), 3334, and 3712(a) of title 31, United States Code, except that if such obligations are from trust fund accounts they shall be payable only from “Compensation and Pensions”. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 208. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during fiscal year 2026, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall, from the National Service Life Insurance Fund under section 1920 of title 38, United States Code, the Veterans' Special Life Insurance Fund under section 1923 of title 38, United States Code, and the United States Government Life Insurance Fund under section 1955 of title 38, United States Code, reimburse the “General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration” and “Information Technology Systems” accounts for the cost of administration of the insurance programs financed through those accounts: Provided, That reimbursement shall be made only from the surplus earnings accumulated in such an insurance program during fiscal year 2026 that are available for dividends in that program after claims have been paid and actuarially determined reserves have been set aside: Provided further, That if the cost of administration of such an insurance program exceeds the amount of surplus earnings accumulated in that program, reimbursement shall be made only to the extent of such surplus earnings: Provided further, That the Secretary shall determine the cost of administration for fiscal year 2026 which is properly allocable to the provision of each such insurance program and to the provision of any total disability income insurance included in that insurance program. Sec. 209. Amounts deducted from enhanced-use lease proceeds to reimburse an account for expenses incurred by that account during a prior fiscal year for providing enhanced-use lease services shall be available until expended. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 210. Funds available in this title or funds for salaries and other administrative expenses shall also be available to reimburse the Office of Resolution Management, the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution function within the Office of Human Resources and Administration for all services provided at rates which will recover actual costs but not to exceed $134,342,000 for the Office of Resolution Management, $7,607,000 for the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication, and $7,586,000 for the Alternative Dispute Resolution function within the Office of Human Resources and Administration: Provided, That payments may be made in advance for services to be furnished based on estimated costs: Provided further, That amounts received shall be credited to the “General Administration” and “Information Technology Systems” accounts for use by the office that provided the service. Sec. 211. No funds of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall be available for hospital care, nursing home care, or medical services provided to any person under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, for a non-service-connected disability described in section 1729(a)(2) of such title, unless that person has disclosed to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in such form as the Secretary may require, current, accurate third-party reimbursement information for purposes of section 1729 of such title: Provided, That the Secretary may recover, in the same manner as any other debt due the United States, the reasonable charges for such care or services from any person who does not make such disclosure as required: Provided further, That any amounts so recovered for care or services provided in a prior fiscal year may be obligated by the Secretary during the fiscal year in which amounts are received. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 212. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, proceeds or revenues derived from enhanced-use leasing activities (including disposal) may be deposited into the “Construction, Major Projects” and “Construction, Minor Projects” accounts and be used for construction (including site acquisition and disposition), alterations, and improvements of any medical facility under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such sums as realized are in addition to the amount provided for in “Construction, Major Projects” and “Construction, Minor Projects”. Sec. 213. Amounts made available under “Medical Services” are available— (1) for furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and equipment; and (2) for funeral expenses, burial expenses, and other expenses incidental to funerals and burials for beneficiaries receiving care in the Department. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 214. Such sums as may be deposited into the Medical Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of title 38, United States Code, may be transferred to the “Medical Services” and “Medical Community Care” accounts to remain available until expended for the purposes of these accounts. Sec. 215. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into agreements with Federally Qualified Health Centers in the State of Alaska and Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations which are party to the Alaska Native Health Compact with the Indian Health Service, to provide healthcare, including behavioral health and dental care, to veterans in rural Alaska. The Secretary shall require participating veterans and facilities to comply with all appropriate rules and regulations, as established by the Secretary. The term “rural Alaska” shall mean those lands which are not within the boundaries of the municipality of Anchorage or the Fairbanks North Star Borough. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 216. Such sums as may be deposited into the Department of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Fund pursuant to section 8118 of title 38, United States Code, may be transferred to the “Construction, Major Projects” and “Construction, Minor Projects” accounts, to remain available until expended for the purposes of these accounts. Sec. 217. Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a report on the financial status of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the preceding quarter: Provided, That, at a minimum, the report shall include the direction contained in the paragraph entitled “Quarterly reporting”, under the heading “General Administration” in the joint explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 114–223. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 218. Amounts made available under the “Medical Services”, “Medical Community Care”, “Medical Support and Compliance”, “Medical Facilities”, “General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration”, “Board of Veterans Appeals”, “General Administration”, and “National Cemetery Administration” accounts for fiscal year 2026 may be transferred to or from the “Information Technology Systems” account: Provided, That such transfers may not result in a more than 10 percent aggregate increase in the total amount made available by this Act for the “Information Technology Systems” account: Provided further, That, before a transfer may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and an approval is issued. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 219. Of the amounts appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026 for “Medical Services”, “Medical Community Care”, “Medical Support and Compliance”, “Medical Facilities”, “Construction, Minor Projects”, and “Information Technology Systems”, up to $654,954,000, 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: Provided further, That section 220 of title II of division A of Public Law 118–42, as continued by section 1101(a)(10) of division A of Public Law 119–4, is repealed. (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. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 221. Such sums as may be deposited into the Medical Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of title 38, United States Code, for healthcare provided at 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) shall also be available: (1) for transfer 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 (2) for operations 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, notwithstanding section 1704(b)(3) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111–84; 123 Stat. 2573), amounts transferred to the Joint Department of Defense—Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund shall remain available until expended. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 222. Of the amounts available in this title for “Medical Services”, “Medical Community Care”, “Medical Support and Compliance”, and “Medical Facilities”, a minimum of $15,000,000 shall be transferred to the DOD–VA Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund, as authorized by section 8111(d) of title 38, United States Code, to remain available until expended, for any purpose authorized by section 8111 of title 38, United States Code. Sec. 223. None of the funds available to the Department of Veterans Affairs, in this or any other Act, may be used to replace the current system by which the Veterans Integrated Service Networks select and contract for diabetes monitoring supplies and equipment. Sec. 224. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of all bid savings in a major construction project that total at least $5,000,000, or 5 percent of the programmed amount of the project, whichever is less: Provided, That such notification shall occur within 14 days of a contract identifying the programmed amount: Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress 14 days prior to the obligation of such bid savings and shall describe the anticipated use of such savings. Sec. 225. None of the funds made available for “Construction, Major Projects” may be used for a project in excess of the scope specified for that project in the original justification data provided to the Congress as part of the request for appropriations unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs receives approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. Sec. 226. Not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a quarterly report containing performance measures and data from each Veterans Benefits Administration Regional Office: Provided, That, at a minimum, the report shall include the direction contained in the section entitled “Disability claims backlog”, under the heading “General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration” in the joint explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 114–223: Provided further, That the report shall also include information on the number of appeals pending at the Veterans Benefits Administration as well as the Board of Veterans Appeals on a quarterly basis. Sec. 227. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide 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 equivalents from one organizational unit of the Department of Veterans Affairs to another. Sec. 228. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 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. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 229. Amounts made available for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, under the “Board of Veterans Appeals” and the “General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration” accounts may be transferred between such accounts: Provided, That before a transfer may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and receive approval of that request. Sec. 230. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not reprogram funds among major construction projects or programs if such instance of reprogramming will exceed a cumulative $7,000,000, unless such reprogramming is approved by the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. Sec. 231. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall ensure that the toll-free suicide hotline under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code— (1) provides to individuals who contact the hotline immediate assistance from a trained professional; and (2) adheres to all requirements of the American Association of Suicidology. (b) (1) None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to enforce or otherwise carry out any Executive action that prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from appointing an individual to occupy a vacant civil service position, or establishing a new civil service position, at the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to such a position relating to the hotline specified in subsection (a). (2) In this subsection— (A) the term “civil service” has the meaning given such term in section 2101(1) of title 5, United States Code; and (B) the term “Executive action” includes— (i) any Executive order, Presidential memorandum, or other action by the President; and (ii) any agency policy, order, or other directive. (c) (1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a study on the effectiveness of the hotline specified in subsection (a) during the 5-year period beginning on January 1, 2016, based on an analysis of national suicide data and data collected from such hotline. (2) At a minimum, the study required by paragraph (1) shall— (A) determine the number of veterans who contact the hotline specified in subsection (a) and who receive follow up services from the hotline or mental health services from the Department of Veterans Affairs thereafter; (B) determine the number of veterans who contact the hotline who are not referred to, or do not continue receiving, mental health care who commit suicide; and (C) determine the number of veterans described in subparagraph (A) who commit or attempt suicide. Sec. 232. Effective during the period beginning on October 1, 2018, and ending on January 1, 2027, none of the funds made available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by this or any other Act may be obligated or expended in contravention of the “Veterans Health Administration Clinical Preventive Services Guidance Statement on the Veterans Health Administration’s Screening for Breast Cancer Guidance” published on May 10, 2017, as issued by the Veterans Health Administration National Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Sec. 233. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs for the “Medical Services” account may be used to provide— (1) fertility counseling and treatment using assisted reproductive technology to a covered veteran or the spouse of a covered veteran; or (2) adoption reimbursement to a covered veteran. (b) In this section: (1) The term “service-connected” has the meaning given such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. (2) The term “covered veteran” means a veteran, as such term is defined in section 101 of title 38, United States Code, who has a service-connected disability that results in the inability of the veteran to procreate without the use of fertility treatment. (3) The term “assisted reproductive technology” means benefits relating to reproductive assistance provided to a member of the Armed Forces who incurs a serious injury or illness on active duty pursuant to section 1074(c)(4)(A) of title 10, United States Code, as described in the memorandum on the subject of “Policy for Assisted Reproductive Services for the Benefit of Seriously or Severely Ill/Injured (Category II or III) Active Duty Service Members” issued by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs on April 3, 2012, and the guidance issued to implement such policy, including any limitations on the amount of such benefits available to such a member except that— (A) the time periods regarding embryo cryopreservation and storage set forth in part III(G) and in part IV(H) of such memorandum shall not apply; and (B) such term includes embryo cryopreservation and storage without limitation on the duration of such cryopreservation and storage. (4) The term “adoption reimbursement” means reimbursement for the adoption-related expenses for an adoption that is finalized after the date of the enactment of this Act under the same terms as apply under the adoption reimbursement program of the Department of Defense, as authorized in Department of Defense Instruction 1341.09, including the reimbursement limits and requirements set forth in such instruction. (c) Amounts made available for the purposes specified in subsection (a) of this section are subject to the requirements for funds contained in section 508 of division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115–141). Sec. 234. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act or any other Act for the Department of Veterans Affairs may be used in a manner that is inconsistent with: (1) section 842 of the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law 109–115; 119 Stat. 2506); or (2) section 8110(a)(5) of title 38, United States Code. Sec. 235. Section 842 of Public Law 109–115 shall not apply to conversion of an activity or function of the Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits Administration, or National Cemetery Administration to contractor performance by a business concern that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more Indian Tribes as defined in section 5304(e) of title 25, United States Code, or one or more Native Hawaiian Organizations as defined in section 637(a)(15) of title 15, United States Code. Sec. 236. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Labor, shall discontinue collecting and using Social Security account numbers to authenticate individuals in all information systems of the Department of Veterans Affairs for all individuals not later than September 30, 2026. (b) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may collect and use a Social Security account number to identify an individual, in accordance with section 552a of title 5, United States Code, in an information system of the Department of Veterans Affairs if and only if the use of such number is necessary to: (1) obtain or provide information the Secretary requires from an information system that is not under the jurisdiction of the Secretary; (2) comply with a law, regulation, or court order; (3) perform anti-fraud activities; or (4) identify a specific individual where no adequate substitute is available. (c) The matter in subsections (a) and (b) shall supersede section 237 of division A of Public Law 118–42. Sec. 237. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and 2027 for “Medical Services”, section 239 of division A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. Sec. 238. None of the funds appropriated in this or prior appropriations Acts or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs may be used to transfer any amounts from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund to any other account within the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 239. Of the funds provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year 2027 for “Medical Services”, funds may be used in each year to carry out and expand the child care program authorized by section 205 of Public Law 111–163, notwithstanding subsection (e) of such section. Sec. 240. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available in this title may be used by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement related to resolving a dispute or claim with an individual that would restrict in any way the individual from speaking to members of Congress or their staff on any topic not otherwise prohibited from disclosure by Federal law or required by Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or the conduct of foreign affairs. Sec. 241. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and 2027, section 258 of division A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. Sec. 242. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to deny an Inspector General funded under this Act timely access to any records, documents, or other materials available to the department or agency over which that Inspector General has responsibilities under the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 401 et seq.), or to prevent or impede the access of the Inspector General to such records, documents, or other materials, under any provision of law, except a provision of law that expressly refers to such Inspector General and expressly limits the right of access. (b) A department or agency covered by this section shall provide its Inspector General access to all records, documents, and other materials in a timely manner. (c) Each Inspector General shall ensure compliance with statutory limitations on disclosure relevant to the information provided by the establishment over which that Inspector General has responsibilities under the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 401 et seq.). (d) Each Inspector General covered by this section shall report to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives within 5 calendar days of any failure by any department or agency covered by this section to comply with this requirement. Sec. 243. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used in a manner that would increase wait times for veterans who seek care at medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Sec. 244. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act to the Veterans Health Administration may be used in fiscal year 2026 to convert any program which received specific purpose funds in fiscal year 2025 to a general purpose funded program unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs submits written notification of any such proposal to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days prior to any such action and an approval is issued by the Committees. Sec. 245. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and 2027, section 248 of division A of Public Law 114–223 shall apply. Sec. 246. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to conduct research commencing on or after the date of enactment of this Act, that uses any canine, feline, or non-human primate unless the Secretary of Veterans Affairs approves such research specifically and in writing pursuant to subsection (b). (b) (1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may approve the conduct of research commencing on or after the date of enactment of this Act, using canines, felines, or non-human primates if the Secretary certifies that— (A) the scientific objectives of the research can only be met by using such canines, felines, or non-human primates and cannot be met using other animal models, in vitro models, computational models, human clinical studies, or other research alternatives; (B) such scientific objectives are necessary to advance research benefiting veterans and are directly related to an illness or injury that is combat-related as defined by 10 U.S.C. 1413(e); (C) the research is consistent with the revised Department of Veterans Affairs canine research policy document dated December 15, 2017, including any subsequent revisions to such document; and (D) ethical considerations regarding minimizing the harm experienced by canines, felines, or non-human primates are included in evaluating the scientific necessity of the research. (2) The Secretary may not delegate the authority under this subsection. (c) If the Secretary approves any new research pursuant to subsection (b), not later than 30 days before the commencement of such research, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives a report describing— (1) the nature of the research to be conducted using canines, felines, or non-human primates; (2) the date on which the Secretary approved the research; (3) the USDA pain category on the approved use; (4) the justification for the determination of the Secretary that the scientific objectives of such research could only be met using canines, felines, or non-human primates, and methods used to make such determination; (5) the frequency and duration of such research; and (6) the protocols in place to ensure the necessity, safety, and efficacy of the research, and animal welfare. (d) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to such Committees a report describing— (1) any research being conducted by the Department of Veterans Affairs using canines, felines, or non-human primates as of the date of the submittal of the report; (2) the circumstances under which such research was conducted using canines, felines, or non-human primates; (3) the justification for using canines, felines, or non-human primates to conduct such research; (4) the protocols in place to ensure the necessity, safety, and efficacy of such research; and (5) the development and adoption of alternatives to canines, felines, or non-human primate research. (e) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Department of Veterans Affairs must submit to voluntary U.S. Department of Agriculture inspections of canine, feline, and non-human primate research facilities. (f) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to such Committees a report describing— (1) any violations of the Animal Welfare Act, the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, or other Department of Veterans Affairs policies related to oversight of animal research found during that quarter in VA research facilities; (2) immediate corrective actions taken; and (3) specific actions taken to prevent their recurrence. (g) The Department shall implement a plan under which the Secretary will eliminate the research conducted using canines, felines, or non-human primates by not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act. Sec. 247. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use amounts appropriated or otherwise made available in this title to ensure that the ratio of veterans to full-time employment equivalents within any program of rehabilitation conducted under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, does not exceed 125 veterans to one full-time employment equivalent. (b) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the programs of rehabilitation conducted under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code, including— (1) an assessment of the veteran-to-staff ratio for each such program; and (2) recommendations for such action as the Secretary considers necessary to reduce the veteran-to-staff ratio for each such program. Sec. 248. Amounts made available for the “Veterans Health Administration, Medical Community Care” account in this or any other Act for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 may be used for expenses that would otherwise be payable from the Veterans Choice Fund established by section 802 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, as amended (38 U.S.C. 1701 note). Sec. 249. Obligations and expenditures applicable to the “Medical Services” account in fiscal years 2017 through 2019 for aid to state homes (as authorized by section 1741 of title 38, United States Code) shall remain in the “Medical Community Care” account for such fiscal years. Sec. 250. Of the amounts made available for the Department of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, in this or any other Act, under the “Veterans Health Administration—Medical Services”, “Veterans Health Administration—Medical Community Care”, “Veterans Health Administration—Medical Support and Compliance”, “Veterans Health Administration—Medical Facilities”, and “Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund”, accounts, $1,429,181,000 shall be made available for gender-specific care and programmatic efforts to deliver care for women veterans; $697,800,000 shall be made available for suicide prevention outreach programs; $3,500,000,000 shall be made available for the Caregivers program; $42,000,000 shall be made available for the National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; $70,000,000 shall be made available for the Neurology Centers of Excellence; $342,455,000 shall be made available for rural health care; $3,459,121,000 shall be made available for veterans’ homelessness programs; $6,356,000,000 shall be made available for telehealth for veterans; $709,573,000 shall be made available for opioid prevention and treatment programs; and, $36,879,000 shall be made available for the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program. Sec. 251. Of the unobligated balances available in fiscal year 2026 in the “Recurring Expenses Transformational Fund” established in section 243 of division J of Public Law 114–113, and in addition to any funds otherwise made available for such purposes in this, prior, or subsequent fiscal years, $900,000,000 shall be available for constructing, altering, extending, and improving medical facilities of the Veterans Health Administration, including all supporting activities and required contingencies, during the period of availability of the Fund: Provided, That prior to obligation of any of the funds provided in this section, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs must provide a plan for the execution of the funds appropriated in this section to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress and such Committees issue an approval, or absent a response, a period of 30 days has elapsed. (including transfer of funds) Sec. 252. Of the $75,039,000,000 to become available on October 1, 2025, previously appropriated under the heading “Veterans Health Administration—Medical Services” in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (division A of Public Law 119–4), $2,030,000,000 shall be transferred to “Veterans Health Administration—Medical Facilities”. Sec. 253. Not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an expenditure plan for funds made available in this Act and any available unobligated balances from prior Acts, including the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118–5), for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund: Provided, That the budget resource categories supporting the Veterans Health Administration shall be reported by the subcategories “Medical Services”, “Medical Community Care”, “Medical Support and Compliance”, and “Medical and Prosthetic Research”: Provided further, That not later than 30 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Secretary shall submit a quarterly report on the status of the funds, including, at a minimum, an update on obligations by program, project or activity. Sec. 254. Any amounts transferred to the Secretary and administered by a corporation referred to in section 7364(b) of title 38, United States Code, between October 1, 2017 and September 30, 2018 for purposes of carrying out an order placed with the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to section 1535 of title 31, United States Code, that are available for obligation pursuant to section 7364(b)(1) of title 38, United States Code, are to remain available for the liquidation of valid obligations incurred by such corporation during the period of performance of such order, provided that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines that such amounts need to remain available for such liquidation. Sec. 255. None of the funds in this or any other Act may be used to close Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals, domiciliaries, or clinics, conduct an environmental assessment, or to diminish healthcare services at existing Veterans Health Administration medical facilities as part of a planned realignment of services until the Secretary provides to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a report including an analysis of how any such planned realignment of services will impact access to care for veterans living in rural or highly rural areas, including travel distances and transportation costs to access a Department medical facility and availability of local specialty and primary care. Sec. 256. Unobligated balances available under the headings “Construction, Major Projects” and “Construction, Minor Projects” may be obligated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs for a facility pursuant to section 2(e)(1) of the Communities Helping Invest through Property and Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–294; 38 U.S.C. 8103 note), as amended, to provide additional funds or to fund an escalation clause under such section of such Act: Provided, That before such unobligated balances are obligated pursuant to this section, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the authority to obligate such unobligated balances and such Committees issue an approval, or absent a response, a period of 30 days has elapsed: Provided further, That the request to obligate such unobligated balances must provide Congress notice that the entity described in section 2(a)(2) of Public Law 114–294, as amended, has exhausted available cost containment approaches as set forth in the agreement under section 2(c) of such Public Law. Sec. 257. (a) None of the funds appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the Department of Veterans Affairs may be obligated, awarded, or expended to procure or purchase covered information technology equipment in cases where the manufacturer, bidder, or offeror, or any subsidiary or parent entity of the manufacturer, bidder, or offeror, of the equipment is an entity, or parent company of an entity listed on any of the following: (1) the Department of Defense’s Chinese Military Company List; (2) the Department of the Treasury’s Non-SDN Chinese Military Industrial Complex Companies List; (3) the Department of Commerce’s Denied Persons List, Entity List, or Military End User List, if the entity is— (A) an agency or instrumentality of the People’s Republic of China; (B) an entity headquartered in the People’s Republic of China; or (C) directly or indirectly owned or controlled by an agency, instrumentality, or entity described in subparagraph (A) or (B); or (4) the Department of Homeland Security’s Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. (b) Applicability to third parties.—The prohibition in subsection (a) also applies in cases in which the Secretary has contracted with a third party for the procurement, purchase, or expenditure of funds on any of the equipment and software described in such subsection. (c) Definition.—For purposes of this section, the term “covered information technology equipment” shall mean the following equipment used in an office environment: computers, printers, or interoperable videoconferencing equipment used in or by the Department of Veterans Affairs directly. “Covered information technology equipment” shall not refer to services that use such equipment, including cloud services. Sec. 258. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to pay award or incentive fees for contractors whose performance has been judged to be below satisfactory, behind schedule, over budget, or has failed to meet the basic requirements of a contract, unless the Agency determines that any such deviations are due to unforeseeable events, government-driven scope changes, or are not significant within the overall scope of the project and/or program and unless such awards or incentive fees are consistent with section 16.401(e)(2) of the Federal Acquisition Regulation. Sec. 259. The Department is directed to maintain staffing levels to facilitate the Department’s own goals, including that benefits claims are adjudicated according to the 125 day goal, and that healthcare appointments and service are provided in the timeframes required by statute and regulation. Sec. 260. The Department is directed to provide quarterly briefings to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress on the status of implementation of the provisions in Public Law 118–42 related to veterans in the Freely Associated States [FAS] in a way that is consistent with Congressional intent, including engagement with FAS governments, a projected timeline for veterans in the FAS to receive hospital care and medical services, and an estimate of the cost of implementation. Sec. 261. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in this Act may be used in a manner that would— (1) interfere with the ability of a veteran to participate in a medicinal marijuana program approved by a State; (2) deny any services from the Department to a veteran who is participating in such a program; or (3) limit or interfere with the ability of a health care provider of the Department to make appropriate recommendations, fill out forms, or take steps to comply with such a program. List: Sec. 262. (a) Report required.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the use of third-party contractors to conduct medical disability examinations of veterans for purposes of obtaining disability compensation. (b) Contents.—The report submitted pursuant to subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) The number of contractors used in each State to conduct disability compensation examinations. (2) Contract performance and quality measures. (3) The average miles a veteran is required to travel to attend a contract medical disability examination, disaggregated by State. (4) The average wait time for an individual to receive an examination. (5) A description of the process at the Department for handling complaints of veterans about their experience with a contracted medical disability examiner. Sec. 263. (a) Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, shall submit to the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committees on Veterans' Affairs and Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that identifies, as of the date of the report, the total number of veterans participating in the housing choice voucher program under section 8(o) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f(o)). (b) In this section, the term “veteran”— (1) means a person who, regardless of length of service, was a member of the armed forces (as that term is defined in section 101 of title 10, United States Code); and (2) does not include a person who— (A) received a dishonorable discharge from the armed forces; or (B) was discharged or dismissed from the armed forces by reason of the sentence of a general court-martial. List: Sec. 264. (a) The Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs of the Department of Veterans Affairs shall continue to— (1) administer the customer service survey of the National Cemetery Administration to veterans, families, and funeral homes through ongoing survey activities; and (2) publish the results of such survey. (b) Submittal to Congress.—Not later than 30 days before the date on which any change is made to the survey described in subsection (a), including with respect to methodology, participants, or scope, the Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs shall submit a description of such change to— (1) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives. List: Sec. 265. (a) In general.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall maintain, on the publicly accessible website landing page of the National Cemetery Administration, a spreadsheet or similar document displaying the most recent interment schedule availability for each operational cemetery under the control of the National Cemetery Administration. (b) Implementation.—The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall— (1) not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, make the spreadsheet or similar document described in subsection (a) available as required by such subsection; and (2) once every 30 days thereafter, update such spreadsheet or similar document. (c) Definition of interment schedule availability.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a proposed definition for the term “interment schedule availability” that— (1) generally means the number of business days between the establishment of a case for a deceased individual and the first availability for the interment of the individual; and (2) takes into account the ability to meet the family's preferred dates, days of the week, and times for scheduling the interment. (d) Report on historical data.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on data for interment schedule availability during the five-year period ending on the date on which the report is submitted. (e) Appropriate committees of Congress defined.—In this section, the term “appropriate committees of Congress” means— (1) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives. Sec. 266. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a briefing on the current status, path forward, and timeline to construct a new medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Reno, Nevada, utilizing in full the funds that have been previously appropriated for such purpose prior to their expiration. List: Sec. 267. None of the amounts appropriated by this title may be obligated or expended to cancel a contract with a value that exceeds $10,000,000 until the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has submitted to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives an advance notification and written explanation of contingency plans to replace the relevant service being cancelled, including any necessary change in the Department's staffing levels. Sec. 268. (a) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and each Member of Congress a report on the current backlog in funding for construction and renovation of State homes for veterans. (b) The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following: (1) A list of all unfunded or partially funded applications for construction grants for State homes, including those identified on the priority lists for fiscal year 2024 and 2025. (2) The estimated total funding required to fully fund all projects under such pending applications. (3) A description of the key hurdles to clearing the backlog of construction grant applications, including administrative, regulatory, and funding-related barriers. (4) Any recommendations for administrative or legislative action to reduce delays and accelerate the approval and completion of State home projects. (5) An exploration of potential options for interim or alternative sources of funding to sustain or advance priority projects currently awaiting Federal support, including an evaluation of such options for feasibility and potential impact. (c) The requirement under subsection (b)(5) shall not be construed as relieving Congress of its responsibility to fund State homes fully and in a timely manner. (d) In this section, the term “State home” has the meaning given that term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code. Sec. 269. No funds appropriated by this title shall be used to reduce staffing, limit hours of operation, decrease training opportunities, curb access to relevant information technology systems, or otherwise reduce the capacity of the Veterans Crisis Line established under section 1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code, to respond to and provide resources to veterans in crisis. List: Sec. 270. (a) Definition of appropriate committees of Congress.—In this section, the term “appropriate committees of Congress” means— (1) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate; and (2) the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives. (b) Report required.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the efforts of the Secretary to review and implement staffing models at the Department of Veterans Affairs that will ensure timely, high quality delivery of health care, benefits, and other services furnished by the Department. Such report shall describe the methodology and review process the Secretary is using to create the staffing models for the Department. TITLE III RELATED AGENCIES