Honolulu, HAWAII — (February 26, 2026) VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) today announced it has begun infrastructure upgrades to ensure safe and effective patient care. These projects are part of a record $4.8 billion in nationwide VA spending to modernize, repair, and improve department health care facilities in fiscal year 2026 via the Veterans Health Administration's Non-Recurring Maintenance program.

VAPIHCS improvement projects since January 20, 2025 include renovation of the American Samoa Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

“Improved facilities, equipment, and infrastructure mean better care for Veterans, and these funds will enable VA Pacific Islands Health Care System to achieve that goal," said VAPICS Executive Director, Thomas A. Steinbrunner. "Better care for Veterans is our goal, and these projects will enable us to achieve just that." These infrastructure investments are part of a host of important initiatives to improve VA during the second Trump Administration.

Since January 20, 2025, VA has:

• Reduced the backlog of Veterans waiting for VA benefits by 60%.

• Eliminated the backlog of Veteran families waiting for VA health care.

• Processed record numbers of disability claims, reaching an all-time fiscal-year high of three million claims processed Sept. 30.

• Opened 25 new health care clinics, expanding access for Vets around the country.

• Offered Veterans more than 1.9 million appointments outside of normal operating hours. These early-morning, evening, and weekend appointments are giving Veterans more timely and convenient options for care.

• Renovation of the American Samoa Community Based Outpatient Clinic.

• Modernizing the HVAC system to improve indoor air quality in the VA administrative offices at the E-Wing of Tripler Army Medical Center.

• Renovation of the Kitchen at Community Living Center (CLC) Building 110 infrastructure.