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CIVIC HERALD
HR 8946 · 119th Congress · HouseIn committee

Veterans Affairs Heritage Act of 2026

In plain language: This bill formally establishes and expands the Department of Veterans Affairs History Office to create public exhibits, outreach programs, and historical archives by its 2030 centennial. The VA must plan for the staffing, funding, and construction of history facilities, including a National VA History Center. Government officials will submit annual progress reports to Congress to ensure these public education and preservation efforts are completed on time.

Provisional — our plain-language summary, pending review.

  1. May 20, 2026Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
  2. May 20, 2026Introduced in House
  3. May 20, 2026Introduced in House
Provisionalunreviewed: impact, provisions, stakeholders, summary
People affected—The operative text does not specify a number of individuals affected by the establishment of the History Office or the reporting requirements.
Fiscal magnitude—The operative text requires a report detailing plans for budget and construction but does not appropriate or authorize a specific dollar amount.
Reach18provisional — pending reviewrigor: heuristic llm
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What it does

The provisions, in plain language.

  1. Establishes the Department of Veterans Affairs History Office.

    Sec. 3provisional

  2. Requires the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a plan to Congress within 180 days of the bill's enactment detailing the budget, staffing, organization, facilities construction (including a National Department of Veterans Affairs History Center), and proposed actions of the History Office.

    Sec. 4(a)provisional

  3. Requires the Chief Historian of the Department of Veterans Affairs to submit annual reports on the progress of the History Office to Congress, starting one year after the initial plan is submitted and continuing through December 31, 2030.

    Sec. 4provisional

Who it affects

Who it helps · who it burdens.

Who it helps

  • Department of Veterans Affairs History OfficeGains formal statutory establishment and a structured planning process for its staffing, budget, and the construction of a National Department of Veterans Affairs History Center (Sec. 3, Sec. 4(a)).provisional

Who it burdens

  • Secretary of Veterans AffairsRequired to prepare and submit a detailed report to Congress within 180 days of enactment outlining the budget, staffing, organization, and facilities construction plans for the new History Office (Sec. 4(a)).provisional
  • Chief Historian of the Department of Veterans AffairsRequired to submit annual progress reports on the History Office to congressional committees from one year after the initial report through December 31, 2030 (Sec. 4).provisional

Dollar-level funding (FEC sector totals) — coming in a later phase.

The original text

Read it for yourself.

Read the original text →
2,788 characters of primary source text.

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