# 119-s-1846: VA Design-Build Construction Enhancement Act of 2025

119-s-1846, VA Design-Build Construction Enhancement Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2025-12-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1846
- As of: 2025-12-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-1846
- Congress: 119
- Title: VA Design-Build Construction Enhancement Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-05-21
- Sponsor: Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN] (R-IN)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2025-12-21

## Summary

**This bill makes the Department of Veterans Affairs use and expand the _design-build_ construction method for VA building projects to speed delivery and improve project outcomes.** It requires VA to follow the selection procedures in section 3309 of title 41 and to add design-build to the department's certification rules for acquisition and construction staff. - Veterans and families: Aims to get modern VA medical centers and facilities finished faster and with stronger warranties. The bill cites benefits like fewer change orders and shorter time from design to occupancy. - VA staff and procurement teams: Makes design-build part of the VA's Covered Certification Program so trained personnel use this method more consistently on appropriate projects. - Project managers and contractors: Directs that non-VA federal entities managing very large projects under section 8103(e) should not be discouraged from using the section 3309 procedures, widening the use of design-build on big efforts. - Budget context: The bill cites the VA's FY2025 budget materials noting the department's long-term capital plan may cost as much as $184 billion, which underlies the push to accelerate and streamline construction.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2025-05-21T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More VA design-build contracting: benefit, medium. If enacted, the VA Secretary would have to use federal design-build selection rules when buying design-and-construction services. For very large projects with an outside federal project manager, VA could not discourage that manager from using those rules. The bill would also add design-build work t…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-873: Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025
- 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-3339: AI Workforce PREPARE Act
- 119-s-4189: INSULIN Act of 2026
- 119-s-410: Love Lives On Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-s-1846 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1846)

## Related
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-873: Fighter Force Preservation and Recapitalization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-873)
- [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923)
- [119-s-3339: AI Workforce PREPARE Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3339)
- [119-s-4189: INSULIN Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4189)
- [119-s-410: Love Lives On Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-410)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1846 (as of 2025-12-21).