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.

# Bill Summary: Veterans Health Administration Smoking Ban **What the bill would do:** This bill would ban smoking at all Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities across the country. The VHA operates hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities where veterans receive medical services. If passed, smoking would be prohibited on the grounds of these facilities, similar to smoke-free policies already in place at many hospitals and federal buildings. **Who it affects:** The primary groups affected would be veterans who use VHA healthcare facilities, VHA employees, and visitors to these facilities.

The ban would apply to all VHA premises, meaning smokers would need to refrain from smoking while at these locations. **Current status:** The bill (S 2171) was introduced by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) in the 119th Congress and is currently under committee review. It has not yet been voted on by the full Senate. The bill's stated purpose focuses on smoking prohibition, though the language "and for other purposes" suggests it may contain additional provisions not detailed in the title.