Hello Friends, 

It was another busy and productive week in our nation's Capitol. I’m proud to share that my bipartisan Representing our Seniors at the VA Act passed out of committee and is now headed to the House floor. Ensuring our aging veterans have strong, qualified advocates and access to the highest standard of care remains one of my top priorities.

This week, we also worked to address leadership and staffing needs at the Hampton VA Medical Center and the Chesapeake Outpatient Clinic, advanced legislation to expand homeownership opportunities, and passed commonsense measures to strengthen election integrity. I had the opportunity to speak with nurse practitioners from across the country about expanding access to quality care, and to join an important conversation on protecting fair competition in women’s sports.

I'd also like to thank everyone who joined my recent Telephone Town Hall. Hearing directly from you and answering your questions about lowering taxes, strengthening our military, protecting healthcare, and keeping our families safe is one of the most important parts of my job.

The House voted on and passed multiple bills. You can read more about some of those below in my weekly floor recap.

Now, onto my Weekly Debrief.

Strengthening Leadership and Advocacy for Veterans’ Long-Term Care

Last Thursday, my Representing our Seniors at the VA Act passed out of committee and will move to a vote on the House floor…! This bipartisan bill would expand the VA Geriatrics and Gerontology Advisory Committee to include a NASVH representative, a State Veterans Home advocate, and a licensed nursing home administrator, ensuring aging veterans have the best-qualified advocates for the decisions affecting their care and quality of life….!

Read my press release here.

Fighting for Better Care at Hampton and Chesapeake VA Facilities

We need stable leadership at the Hampton VA Medical Center and a fully staffed Outpatient Clinic in Chesapeake. During last week's House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing, I pressed Secretary Doug Collins on the timeline for permanent leadership in Hampton. I also raised the need for staffing solutions at the Chesapeake clinic to ensure veterans at both facilities receive the quality, attentive care they deserve. Our nation’s veterans deserve nothing less than the highest standard of care! 

Read my press release here and watch my questioning👇

Last Week's Telephone Town Hall...!!

Thank you to everyone who joined my Telephone Town Hall last week! It was great to hear from callers across Coastal Virginia and to update them on what we are doing in Congress to lower taxes, protect health care, keep our families safe, and strengthen our military.

I hope everyone can join us soon for the next one!

Delivering Real Solutions for America’s Housing Future

House Republicans are working to make the American dream of homeownership attainable again. The Housing for the 21st Century Act passed the House last week, cutting red tape and helping communities build and thrive. Congress will keep working to remove barriers so more Americans can find a place to call home!

Championing Nurse Practitioners on Capitol Hill

Last week, I had the privilege of speaking before a group of nurse practitioners from across the country at the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Hill Day kickoff..!! As a geriatric nurse practitioner, one of my top priorities in Congress has been to expand access to quality care while providing our healthcare professionals with the resources they need to succeed. Thank you to AANP for your support and to our nurse practitioners that work tirelessly everyday to improve outcomes for their patients..!!

Our Servicemembers Should Never Be Impacted by Partisan Gridlock

As Senate Democrats have pushed the country into a partial government shutdown and withheld pay from our dedicated FEMA personnel, TSA agents, and Coast Guard men and women, I am once again advocating for my Pay Our Troops Act. This bill would ensure our servicemembers continue receiving their pay during a shutdown.



I urge my colleagues in the Senate to quickly reach a deal to end this shutdown, and I call on House leadership to bring my bill to the floor.

Protecting the Integrity of Our Elections

Last Wednesday night, the SAVE America Act passed the House by a vote of 218-213! It’s commonsense to require photo ID to vote and to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote. I was proud to support this election integrity bill and vote YES…!!

Watch a video following its passage 👇

Happy Presidents' Day!!

Virginia holds a unique place in our nation’s history. More U.S. Presidents were born here than in any other state. Last week, we recognized the leadership and legacy of those Virginians, along with all who have served as Commander in Chief. Wishing everyone a meaningful Presidents Day!

Fighting for Safe and Fair Competition in Women and Girls Sports

Last week’s Protecting Girls and Women in Sports lunch was a great opportunity to highlight the issues that matter most to female athletes and their families. As a runner and the Mom of two girls who compete, protecting fair and safe competition is incredibly personal to me. I’m grateful to House Majority Whip Tom Emmer for hosting this important conversation and for bringing together such dedicated advocates for the integrity of women’s sports…! 

Tax Relief for VA-02 Seniors...!

It’s that time of year again, VA-02! I voted for the Working Families Tax Cut, which provides seniors with a $6,000 deduction for individuals and $12,000 for couples filing jointly this tax season. This deduction exceeds the taxable Social Security income for 88% of seniors across the country. This means that nearly 90% of Americans aged 65 and up will receive no tax on their social security.

The Working Families Tax Cut delivers financial relief to ensure our seniors' hard earned savings can work for their needs!

Calling Official Office Interns for Spring 2026...!

We are now accepting internship applications for Spring 2026! If you’re passionate about public service and want hands-on experience serving the people of Virginia’s Second District, we encourage you to apply. Interns play an important role in helping our team serve constituents, support legislative work, and stay connected to our community. 

Apply here.

Schedule a D.C. Tour Through My Office....!

It's a great time to come up to D.C. for a tour of our nation's historic capital! We can assist in scheduling tours of some of Washington’s most iconic landmarks, including:

• The U.S. Capitol
• The White House
• The Library of Congress
• The Supreme Court
• The FBI

Many of these tours fill up weeks in advance, so I encourage you to reach out early. My team is here to help you and your family enjoy a memorable, meaningful experience in D.C.

👉 To request a tour click here.

Weekly Poll

Thank you to everyone who participated in last week’s poll! I asked if you've ever participated in one of my telephone town halls. 7.6% of you said YES, 91.9%% said NO.

I know schedules are busy and these events don’t always line up with everything you have going on, but I’d love for you to join the conversation next time! In last week's town hall, we had over 8,100 constituents join the call and answered 14 questions, including 5 of our poll questions. Telephone town halls are a great way for me to hear directly from you, answer your questions, and share updates on the work I’m doing in Congress on behalf of Virginia’s Second District. For every telephone town hall I host, I send out an RSVP form that I post a few days in advance across all of my social media platforms as well as an announcement in my Weekly Debrief!

Be sure to stay tuned for details on our next event!

And now, onto this week's poll question...!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I would like to honor Medal of Honor Recipient Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman of the United States Air Force (Medal of Honor action date: March 4, 2002).

John A. Chapman enlisted in the Air Force and went on to serve as an elite Special Tactics Combat Controller, later attaining the rank of Technical Sergeant and posthumously promoted to Master Sergeant. Throughout his distinguished career, Sergeant Chapman demonstrated exceptional courage, professionalism, and devotion to duty.

On March 4, 2002, Technical Sergeant Chapman was part of a joint special operations team conducting reconnaissance operations on Takur Ghar, a snow-covered mountain in eastern Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During the team’s initial insertion, their helicopter came under intense enemy fire, causing a teammate to fall into a heavily fortified enemy position below. Without hesitation, Technical Sergeant Chapman voluntarily reinserted with his team onto the mountaintop, fully aware they were landing in the center of a known enemy stronghold.

Upon landing, Technical Sergeant Chapman immediately moved toward the closest enemy position while coming under heavy fire from multiple directions. Displaying complete disregard for his own safety, he fearlessly charged an enemy bunker, advancing uphill through thigh-deep snow and directly into hostile fire. Reaching the bunker, Technical Sergeant Chapman assaulted and cleared the position.

Fully exposed and only meters from the enemy, Technical Sergeant Chapman then deliberately moved from cover to engage a second bunker that was firing a machine gun at his team. While conducting this assault from an exposed position and under intense enemy fire, he was struck and seriously wounded. Despite sustaining severe and ultimately mortal injuries, Sergeant Chapman continued to fight with extraordinary determination, engaging multiple enemy personnel and preventing further attacks on his teammates.

Technical Sergeant Chapman’s bold, decisive, and selfless actions saved the lives of his fellow servicemembers and enabled the mission to continue. His extraordinary heroism, unwavering devotion to duty, and indomitable fighting spirit in the face of overwhelming odds reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Air Force.

For his conspicuous gallantry and valor above and beyond the call of duty, Technical Sergeant John A. Chapman was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, recognizing his extraordinary sacrifice and unmatched courage during combat operations in Afghanistan.

Constituent Corner

I know how difficult it can be to navigate the federal government. My office assisted Don from Virginia Beach in resolving an issue with the Veterans Health Administration. After reaching out to my office, we were able to lend a helping hand through the casework process. Thanks for reaching out, Joan...!

If you need assistance with a federal agency, my team is here to help. Contact my District Office at (757) 364-7650 or visit my website and my team will be in touch!

Don't forget—if you’d like to stay up to date with what I’m working on, check out my website and follow my Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages to stay up to date!

If you or your family are visiting Washington, DC in the coming months, please stop by to say hello!

Jen A. Kiggans

Congresswoman, Virginia's Second District

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