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S. 2119Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

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

Sponsored by Richard J. DurbinSen. Richard J. Durbin (D-IL)
Introduced November 13, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 7:01 PM UTC

This bill amends the U.S. Code to ban smoking in all Veterans Health Administration facilities. It sets an indoor smoking ban for all VHA sites, with a specific start date for nursing‑home‑style community living centers, and establishes an outdoor smoking ban for all VHA sites later. The changes apply to anyone using VHA buildings or grounds, and they define the types of tobacco products covered.

Key Provisions

  • No one may smoke indoors at any Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility, with the indoor ban for nursing‑home‑type community living centers taking effect on December 31, 2018.
  • No one may smoke outdoors at any VHA facility after October 1, 2021.
  • The bill defines “community living center,” “facility of the Veterans Health Administration,” and includes cigarettes, e‑cigarettes, cigars, pipes, and any other tobacco combustion in the definition of “smoke.”
  • It repeals the note to section 526 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 that previously referenced the smoking provision.
  • The new rules become effective 90 days after the law is enacted.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7178)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

November 13, 2017

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

November 13, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs. (text of measure as introduced: CR S7178)

Veterans' Affairs Committee

November 13, 2017

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 2119 on the floor

1 Democrat
Richard J. Durbin
Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Nov 13, 2017

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Record
Richard J. Durbin
Sen. Richard J. DurbinD-IL · Nov 13, 2017

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record.

Record

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued November 13, 2017

II

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2119

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

November 13, 2017

Mr. Durbin (for himself, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Markey, Mr. Reed, Mr. Brown, Mr. Wyden, and Mrs. Murray) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs

A BILL

To amend title 38, United States Code, to prohibit smoking in any facility of the Veterans Health Administration, and for other purposes.

1.

Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration

(a)

Prohibition

Section 1715 of title 38, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

1715.

Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration

(a)

Prohibition

(1)
(A)

Except as provided in subparagraph (B), no person may smoke indoors in any facility of the Veterans Health Administration.

(B)

In the case of a facility of the Veterans Health Administration that is a community living center, no person may smoke indoors in such facility on or after December 31, 2018.

(2)

No person may smoke outdoors in any facility of the Veterans Health Administration on or after October 1, 2021.

(b)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

The term community living center means a facility of the Department that provides nursing home care.

(2)

The term facility of the Veterans Health Administration means any land or building (including any medical center, nursing home, domiciliary facility, outpatient clinic, or center that provides readjustment counseling) that is—

(A)

under the jurisdiction of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

(B)

under the control of the Veterans Health Administration; and

(C)

not under the control of the General Services Administration.

(3)

The term smoke includes the smoking of cigarettes (including e-cigarettes or electronic cigarettes), cigars, pipes, and any other combustion of tobacco.

.

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 17 of such title is amended by striking the item relating to section 1715 and inserting the following new item:

1715. Prohibition on smoking in facilities of the Veterans Health Administration.

.

(c)

Conforming amendment

Section 526 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 (Public Law 102–585; 38 U.S.C. 1715 note) is hereby repealed.

(d)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.