Sponsors (3)
The bill would let the VA adopt widely used commercial building and safety standards to reduce cost and speed delivery of veterans' facilities and gather real‑world data, at the risk of federal compliance conflicts and short‑term transition costs.
Veterans and taxpayers: VA construction and renovation projects can use widely adopted commercial building codes, likely lowering construction costs and speeding delivery of veterans' facilities.
Veterans and hospitals/health-systems: Allowing recognized standards (NFPA, ICC, ASTM, ASCE) may improve safety and consistency with private‑sector best practices for VA facilities.
Veterans and federal employees: Requiring pilot projects (≥3 per year FY2027–FY2031) will generate practical data on using commercial codes, informing oversight and future VA construction policy.
Veterans and federal employees: Using non‑Federal commercial codes could create inconsistencies with existing Federal requirements, risking compliance gaps or legal disputes that delay projects.
Taxpayers and federal employees: Transitioning to new codes and training VA staff or contractors may impose upfront costs and administrative burdens, potentially diverting funds from services.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows VA to use commercial building codes for facility construction and requires FY2027–FY2031 pilots (≥3 per year) and annual reporting on results.
Official title: Require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to use commercial codes and standards instead of or in addition to Federal codes and standards in the construction or alteration of facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 16, 2026 by James E. Banks · Last progress April 16, 2026
Requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow use of commercial (non‑Federal) building codes and standards for VA construction and alteration projects when those codes do not conflict with statute or regulation, and creates a five‑year pilot program (FY2027–FY2031) with at least three pilot projects per year to test the approach for major construction, minor construction, or major lease projects. The Secretary must report annually to the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees on use of the authority and the status of pilot projects.