THE FOLLOW UP
Jan 28, 2026 · news.va.gov
Important News

VA announces record $4.8 billion for health care facility maintenance and upgrades in FY2026

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Key takeaways

  • The Department of Veterans Affairs will spend $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2026 on the Veterans Health Administration’s Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) program.
  • This is the largest single-year NRM investment in VA history.
  • Funding breakdown: $2.8 billion for infrastructure systems, $1 billion for electronic health record systems (including EHRM preparation), $500 million for major building upgrades, and $500 million to modernize medical centers.
  • VA will determine specific projects on a quarterly basis; the first-quarter project awards total $468 million (link: https://www.va.gov/health/docs/VHA-NRM-Project-Awards-FY2026-Q1.pdf).
  • Reporters may contact the Office of Media Relations at vapublicaffairs@va.gov; veterans can use Ask VA or the VA virtual chatbot for questions about benefits and services.

Follow Up Questions

What is the Veterans Health Administration’s Non-Recurring Maintenance (NRM) program and what types of projects does it typically fund?Expand

The VHA NRM program pays for one‑time (non‑recurring) maintenance projects that exceed routine upkeep—significant repairs, replacements or upgrades to facility systems, equipment and infrastructure needed to keep medical centers operational and safe (e.g., major HVAC, electrical, roofing, life‑safety and other system upgrades).

Sources
What does "EHRM" stand for and what kinds of electronic health record updates or preparations are planned with the $1 billion allocation?Expand

“EHRM” means Electronic Health Record Modernization. The press release says the $1 billion will fund maintenance and modernization of electronic health‑record systems and facility preparation for future EHRM updates, but it does not list specific projects or technical details in the announcement.

Sources
How will VA decide which specific facilities and projects receive NRM funding each quarter?Expand

VA uses established VHA guidance and an application/tracking process to select NRM projects quarterly: facilities submit project applications into VHA’s Capital Asset Database and projects are evaluated and awarded each quarter under VHA NRM policy (VHA Directive 1002.1). The FY2026 awards are being announced quarterly (FY2026 Q1 awards = $468M).

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What oversight, reporting, or accountability measures will track how the $4.8 billion is spent and whether projects are completed on time and on budget?Expand

Oversight and tracking use VHA policy and the Capital Asset Database/project tracking reports; VHA directives require project cost and schedule reporting and require obligations under correct appropriations. GAO and VA oversight reviews also monitor program performance—but the press release does not add new, project‑specific oversight measures beyond existing VHA directives and tracking requirements.

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Is the $4.8 billion new federal funding for FY2026, or does it come from reallocated VA funds or previous appropriations?Expand

The $4.8 billion is VA’s announced FY2026 NRM investment. The press release describes it as VA funding for fiscal year 2026; it does not state in the release whether funds are entirely new appropriations versus internal realignments, so that detail is not specified in the announcement.

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Will any funded projects require temporary closures or service disruptions at VA medical centers, and how will affected Veterans be notified?Expand

The release does not list specific temporary closures or service disruptions. VHA project guidance requires facilities to manage construction impacts and notify patients; any planned closures or service changes would be handled locally (and VA says specific projects are selected and announced quarterly), but the announcement does not identify which projects, if any, will require temporary closures or how Veterans will be notified.

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