{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2026/5/blackburn-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-speed-up-va-construction-projects", "Blackburn, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Speed Up VA Construction Projects", "2026-05-07", "2026", "2026-05", "Republican", "Senate", "TN", "Marsha Blackburn", "B001243", "www.blackburn.senate.gov", "blackburn", "https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/news/cc8c80c1-d564-4bbb-93a4-f1d772346ae0", "scraper", "NASHVILLE, Tenn. \u2013 U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) introduced the Faster VA Construction Act to direct the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to adopt commercial building codes and standards where possible, consistent with law:\n\n\u201cThe VA\u2019s construction process needs to be faster and more efficient,\u201d said Senator Blackburn. \u201cThe Faster VA Construction Act would stretch taxpayer dollars by cutting unnecessary red tape, speeding up construction projects, and delivering better facilities for our veterans faster.\u201d\n\n\u201cHoosier veterans deserve timely care, not red tape,\u201d said Senator Banks. \u201cThis bill speeds up VA construction and makes sure taxpayer dollars are put to their best use.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe should not let red tape get in the way of ensuring our veterans have access to care and services,\u201d said Senator Hirono. \u201cAs veterans\u2019 needs continue to grow in Hawaii and across the country, we should do all we can to ensure VA\u2019s infrastructure can meet this demand. By allowing VA projects to follow commercial construction codes and standards, the Faster VA Construction Act takes steps to streamline the construction process, reduce costs, and help increase the number of projects VA can get built each year.\u201d\n\nBACKGROUND\n\nVA estimates it would cost between $98 and $109 billion to fully implement its strategic capital investment plan, including deferred maintenance and new construction, and this figure has been steadily increasing for many years. VA\u2019s infrastructure needs have long significantly exceeded its infrastructure resources, and stretching each construction dollar as far as possible is critical.\n\nThe Government Accountability Office (GAO), Office of Inspector General (OIG), and VA officials have repeatedly cited the Department\u2019s unique construction codes and standards as major, and sometimes unnecessary, cost drivers. VA has long maintained its own facility design standards that are significantly different from commercial codes and standards and often vary from project to project.\n\nIn contrast, GAO, OIG, and VA officials have touted the two CHIP IN Act projects in Omaha, Nebraska, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, for being completed more quickly and at lower cost compared to VA-managed projects because the law permitted their private developers to rely on commercial codes and standards to a limited extent.\n\nFASTER VA CONSTRUCTION ACT\n\nSpecifically, the Faster VA Construction Act would:\n\nDirect VA to use commercial codes and standards in its construction and leasing projects instead of, or in addition to, unique federal codes and standards where they do not conflict with statutory or regulatory requirements;\n\nDirect VA to use commercial codes and standards in three construction or leasing projects, as a pilot, for each of the next five years; and\n\nRequire VA to report on its use of these authorities.\n\nClick here for bill text.", 1, "2026-05-08T05:46:43Z", "2026-05-08T05:48:09Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2026/5/blackburn-colleagues-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-speed-up-va-construction-projects"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.8180820625275373, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}