XR ASSOCIATION COMMENDS CONGRESS FOR APPROVING HOUSE REALITY CAUCUS APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS FOR FY 2026
February 11, 2026 – The XR Association (XRA) applauds Congress for including several XR-related appropriations requests in the recently passed FY 2026 Appropriations Legislation. The provisions were submitted to the House Appropriations Committee by the bipartisan Congressional Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality Caucus, which has worked closely with XRA to educate lawmakers on XR technologies.
“We are grateful to House Reality Caucus co-chairs Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) for securing several XR-related provisions in recently enacted FY 2026 appropriations legislation, including language targeting veteran’s mental health; the up-skilling of workers in industrial sectors; critical infrastructure security; and transportation efficiency and safety, said XRA CEO Elizabeth Hyman. “With U.S. competitors like China investing heavily in the development and deployment of the transformative technology, it is critical that Congress continues to promote innovation and expanded use of XR in the United States.”
Specifically, the following provisions were included in the recently enacted FY 2026 appropriations legislation:
- Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies – Report language commending the Department of Veterans Affairs for its innovative implementation of immersive technology to improve Veterans’ health care experiences at over 200 VA Medical Centers.
- Labor, Health and Human Services – Report language encouraging the Department of Labor to assess the ways in which use of immersive technology can be leveraged to train and upskill workers in key industrial sectors, including energy, manufacturing, construction, mining and automotive assembly.
- Homeland Security – Report language recommending that CISA consider whether digital twin technology would improve its ability to manage and reduce risk to the Nation’s cyber and physical infrastructure.
- Transportation, Housing and Urban Development – Report language directing DOT to assess the way in which digital twin technology can be leveraged across transportation systems to improve efficiency, maximize worker expertise, enhance safety and security, and mitigate risk.
- Defense – House report language commending DOD for utilizing digital twins to reimagining a mission-focused approach to test and evaluation activities and Senate report language recognizing the need for the Navy to utilize digital twins and other advanced technologies to improve ship-building capacity and capability.
