US Federal Senate Bill SB2171

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 6/25/25
• Refer: 6/25/25

Caption

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit smoking on the premises of any facility of the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes.

Summary

SB2171 would amend title 38 of the U.S. Code to create a broad prohibition on smoking anywhere on the premises of Veterans Health Administration facilities. The ban would apply to veterans, patients, residents, employees, contractors, and visitors, and it would cover traditional tobacco products as well as electronic nicotine delivery systems such as e-cigarettes, vape pens, and e-cigars. The bill defines covered VHA facilities to include medical centers, nursing homes, domiciliary facilities, outpatient clinics, and centers providing readjustment counseling, so long as they are under VA/VHA control and not under the General Services Administration. The bill also makes a conforming change by repealing an older smoking-related provision in the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 and updating the chapter 17 table of contents in title 38. In practical terms, it would replace prior law with a single, clearer statutory rule banning smoking on VHA premises nationwide. Because the bill is framed as an amendment to federal veterans law, it would directly affect VA facility policies, enforcement practices, and the conduct of anyone entering those facilities.

Impact

If enacted, SB2171 would change federal veterans health law by replacing section 1715 of title 38 with a new nationwide smoking prohibition for Veterans Health Administration premises. It would require VA facilities to treat combustible tobacco and vaping products alike as prohibited smoking activity, and it would apply across a wide range of VHA-controlled properties, including medical and residential care settings. The bill would also repeal a prior statutory note from the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, thereby consolidating the smoking restriction into the main U.S. Code provision.

Sentiment

The available context suggests the bill was introduced with bipartisan support, as shown by the listed sponsors: Senators Durbin, Collins, Booker, and Murray. There are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided materials, so there is no evidence of formal opposition or amendment debate in the record supplied. Overall, the bill appears to reflect a generally favorable, public-health-oriented approach to protecting veterans and staff in VA facilities.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided committee or vote history. Potential areas of debate, based on the bill’s text, could include the breadth of the ban, its application to all visitors and employees, and the inclusion of vaping and other electronic nicotine delivery systems alongside combustible tobacco. Any concerns would likely come from those worried about enforcement, personal choice, or the impact on veterans who use nicotine products, but those views are not reflected in the supplied record.