Jack Bergman (R-MI)
VA Contracting and Procurement Act
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Committee Hearings Held
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The VA Contracting and Procurement Act aims to limit how the Secretary of Veterans Affairs spends money on certain agreements and contracts. It sets a $50,000,000 cap on various obligations unless specific legal authorization is provided. These limits generally do not apply during times of war, national emergencies, or major disasters. The bill also establishes specific rules for the administration of educational benefits, which include a notification and congressional disapproval process. Additionally, it changes how prosthetic appliances and surgical implants are procured and managed.
Yes
- Scored +4
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates specific notifications to Congress regarding educational benefit agreements, including cost and scope.
- Scored +3
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill increases congressional oversight of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs through required notifications and the potential for joint resolutions of disapproval.
The opposite· 3 of 5
- Scored -3
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
Spending caps on the Veterans Community Care Program and health-care administration could restrict access to care if new agreements cannot be funded.
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill imposes $50,000,000 caps on various VA agreements, which may restrict the Secretary's ability to deploy funds for large-scale programs.
- Scored -2
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The cap on spending for small business concerns may limit the growth and availability of VA contracts for those businesses.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Control over Educational Benefits: For educational benefit agreements, the Secretary must notify Congress of a proposed agreement, including its purpose, scope, cost, and period of performance, allowing for a potential joint resolution of disapproval (Section 3698B).
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Streamlined Prosthetic and Implant Procurement: The Secretary is required to implement a process for manufacturers to propose catalog revisions through standardized electronic means that minimizes documentation (Section 8123(b)(3)).
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Improved Surgical Implant Ordering: The bill requires surgical implants to be procured through firm-fixed price single purchase orders, a process designed to eliminate duplicative billing and allow for real-time error correction (Section 8123(c)).
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Domestic Preference for Emergency Items: When procuring health-care items for an All-Hazards Emergency Cache, the Secretary is required to comply with domestic preference statutes (Section 8127(c)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Spending Restrictions on Veterans Programs: The Secretary is prohibited from obligating or spending more than $50,000,000 on various agreements—including the Veterans Community Care Program, health-care administration, and small business concerns—unless specific legal authorization is granted (Sections 2(a), 2(b), 2(c), 2(d), 2(e), 2(g), and 2(h)).
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Exceptions to Domestic Preference: The requirement to use domestic products for health-care items in an All-Hazards Emergency Cache does not apply if the Secretary determines that complying would threaten the health or safety of veterans (Section 8127(c)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates specific notifications to Congress regarding educational benefit agreements, including cost and scope. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases congressional oversight of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs through required notifications and the potential for joint resolutions of disapproval.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The cap on spending for small business concerns may limit the growth and availability of VA contracts for those businesses. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill imposes $50,000,000 caps on various VA agreements, which may restrict the Secretary's ability to deploy funds for large-scale programs.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Spending caps on the Veterans Community Care Program and health-care administration could restrict access to care if new agreements cannot be funded.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — While improving procurement efficiency for implants, the bill imposes spending limits on community care and health-care administration that could impact service delivery.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The $50,000,000 cap on educational benefit agreements introduces new congressional oversight that could delay or limit the administration of benefits.
- 5/20/2026
- Committee Hearings Held
- 3/18/2026
- Committee Hearings Held
- 12/10/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Introduced in House