A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
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 Acquisition Reform and Cost Assessment Act of 2025 aims to reorganize how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles its acquisition and procurement structures. It establishes an Office of Acquisition led by an Assistant Secretary who serves as the Chief Acquisition Officer. The bill creates specific roles for program managers and deputy assistant secretaries to oversee logistics, procurement, and program performance. It also establishes a Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation to provide independent cost estimates and effectiveness reviews. Additionally, the act implements independent verification and validation for major acquisition programs. Finally, it focuses on improving entry-level hiring through expanded internship programs.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +5
Would students be better off under this?
The bill mandates an increase in the number of participants in VA acquisition internship programs.
- Scored +4
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The bill aims to improve the efficiency, cost management, and professionalism of the VA acquisition process which serves veterans.
- Scored +3
Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive?
The bill seeks to improve the management and cost-effectiveness of the systems that deliver veteran benefits.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Oversight of Large Programs: The bill creates a specific definition for "major acquisition program" based on cost thresholds, ensuring large-scale projects receive targeted management and oversight (Section 2).
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Enhanced Program Management: By requiring Program Executive Officers and Major Acquisition Program Managers to hold specific project management certifications, the bill ensures that large programs are led by qualified professionals (Sections 2 and 3).
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Increased Accountability through Independent Reviews: The establishment of independent verification and validation for major programs can help ensure that requirements, costs, and schedules are correctly defined and met (Section 5).
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Better Cost Management: The creation of a Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation allows for independent cost estimates and annual reports to help improve acquisition efficiency (Section 6).
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Workforce Development Opportunities: The bill directs the Secretary to prioritize the use of internship programs to hire employees into entry-level acquisition positions, which includes a mandate to significantly increase the number of participants (Section 7).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Organizational Upheaval: The mandate to organizationally consolidate all acquisition, procurement, contracting, and logistics activities under the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition within one year represents a significant structural change (Section 4).
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Potential Resource Constraints for Requirements Development: The bill restricts the creation of new positions for the requirements development process unless a specific cost-benefit analysis justifies the additional resources (Section 9).
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.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill mandates an increase in the number of participants in VA acquisition internship programs. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill aims to improve the efficiency, cost management, and professionalism of the VA acquisition process which serves veterans. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — More efficient VA administration can lead to more reliable healthcare services for the aging veteran population.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill seeks to improve the management and cost-effectiveness of the systems that deliver veteran benefits.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — Improving the efficiency and oversight of VA acquisitions may lead to better healthcare delivery for veterans.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill's emphasis on competitive procedures for contracts may benefit various business entities.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill's focus on information technology acquisition may support the development of new technological systems.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this strengthen Social Security? — By streamlining VA operations, the bill indirectly supports the stability of veteran-focused social services.
- 9/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/20/2026
- Committee Hearings Held
- 3/18/2026
- Committee Hearings Held
- 12/18/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
- Introduced in House
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Mark MessmerRepublican · Indiana