Friends,

I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend with family and friends, and that you took a moment on Presidents' Day to celebrate George Washington and all the presidents who came after him who helped America become the greatest country on Earth...!

To kick off this week's debrief, I want to thank everyone who stopped by the Grand Opening of my Virginia Beach District Office! I was honored to have so many people join us, including Mayor Bobby Dyer, Mayor Rick West, and several city council members.

Please don't hesitate to stop by the office (located at 283 Constitution Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23462) if you are having issues with federal agencies like the Social Security Administration, the VA, IRS, USPS, or Passport Agencies. While I can't override the decisions made by a federal agency, my staff and I can often intervene on a constituent’s behalf to answer questions, find solutions, or just cut through the red tape...!

My staff will also be happy to take down your concerns on federal issues or discuss other services offered by our office, like U.S. flag requests or Washington, DC tours. My team and I stand ready to serve the constituents of Virginia's Second Congressional District in every way we can!

Working to Solve the Border Crisis

On Thursday, I joined Speaker McCarthy and some of my freshman colleagues, Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06), Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), and Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03), in traveling to the Tucson Sector of the southern border. There we met with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, local law enforcement, residents, and community leaders to learn about the challenges they are facing because of the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis.

What I saw there at the border, what the law enforcement officers and local residents told me, was both heartbreaking and terrifying...from the cartels terrorizing their streets to fentanyl poisoning their kids.

Since October, CBP has seized over 9,000 pounds of fentanyl coming across the Southwest border...that's enough to kill over 6 times the U.S. population! Far too many families have had their loved ones die from fentanyl overdoses that could have been prevented by a secure border, including our servicemembers.

Last year, fentanyl was involved in 88% of all servicemember overdose deaths. Now it’s the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18-45. We need to give our law enforcement officers the resources and tools they need to defend our borders and tackle the threat this weapons-grade poison poses to our families and our communities.

Our weak southern border has put our national security at risk, as well as our families, and those wishing to come here for a better life. Fixing the border crisis isn't a Republican or a Democrat issue...it's an American issue! If we want to solve this crisis, we have to see the problems for ourselves, meet with people on the ground, and truly understand the complex challenges they’re facing. Click the video below to hear more about my visit to the southern border!

Joining the U.S. Navy for Meet the Fleet!

Earlier in the week, I had the honor of joining the U.S. Navy for their Congressional "Meet the Fleet"! U.S. Fleet Forces uses this opportunity to educate federal lawmakers and their staff about Navy operations and readiness activities.

After an initial security brief, we stepped aboard the U.S.S. Cole. As I'm sure many of you remember, the U.S.S. Cole was the victim of a horrific terrorist attack in 2000 that resulted in the loss of 17 sailors. We spent the morning touring the ship, meeting with the crew, and learning about their ongoing mission. We should never lose sight of the sacrifices our service members make for us...freedom isn't free.

Next up we got to eat lunch with the sailors of the U.S.S. Eisenhower and learn about the aircraft carrier’s wide range of flexible mission capabilities. Not only do the sailors aboard the “Mighty Ike” conduct routine maritime security operations, they also carry out expeditionary power projection, forward naval presence, crisis response, sea control, deterrence, counter-terrorism, information operations, security cooperation and counter-proliferation…!

During these two visits, I was reminded about the critical role our nation's Navy plays not only in protecting the Homeland, but also in conducting strategic deterrence against a wide range of adversaries on the global stage. It was encouraging to see so many staffers from both sides of the aisle soaking in all the information and gaining a greater understanding of how U.S. Fleet Forces contribute to our national defense.

But of course, it's not just sailors who help the Navy accomplish its mission, our airmen (and women) do too! Thank you to the pilots from HSC-2 Fleet Angels at Naval Station Norfolk for taking us up for a ride and demonstrating just how critical they are to our nation's security. It’s always a good day when you get to fly in a Navy helicopter…!

To wrap up Fleet Week, we were briefed by the Maritime Expeditionary Security Force, which conducts maritime security operations at our nation's ports, harbors, and coastal waterways. I enjoyed learning about how they bridge the gap between traditional Navy blue water operations and land forces. Getting an up close and personal look at their PB40 Patrol Boat was an experience I'll never forget. They even let me pilot the boat...!

As a Navy veteran, I know that we owe it to our servicemen and women to make sure they are serving in a strong military with the resources they need to get the mission done. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to ensure they receive just that. With all the threats we face, the United States must continue to have the greatest military capacity on earth...!

Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to highlight Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Commander George Levick Street III (Medal of Honor Action Date: April 14, 1945)!

In 1945, then-Lieutenant Commander Street was the skipper of the U.S.S. Tirante during its first war patrol against Japanese forces off of the Korean coast. Cdr. Street was determined to sink enemy ships, advancing into the harbor under the cover of darkness – despite the presence of multiple radar-equipped harbor patrols and land-based facilities. The depth of the harbor did not allow the Tirante to dive, meaning that if it were to be discovered, Cdr. Street and his crew would have to shoot their way out.

Around 4:00AM, the Tirante fired two torpedoes at a large ammunition ship, resulting in such a large explosion that the Tirante was illuminated against the waters of the harbor. However, this blinding flash of light also made two Japanese escort craft plainly visible. Cdr. Street acted instantly and destroyed the two ships: one with two torpedoes, the other with one.

Upon the destruction of the two escort ships, Cdr. Street immediately ordered the Tirante to exit the harbor, diving to avoid depth charges dropped by a pursuing enemy patrol. On their way to the harbor, the crew had learned of the death of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt; following the destruction of the enemy ships, Cdr. Street sent a message to the Pacific Submarine Command reading “Three for Franklin…Sank ammunition ships two escorts.”

Commander George Levick Street III was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on October 5, 1945 for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding officer of the U.S.S. Tirante during the First War Patrol of that vessel against enemy Japanese surface forces in the Harbor of Quelpart Island, off the Coast of Korea, on 14 April 1945.” He was born in Richmond, Virginia on July 27, 1913 and passed away on February 26, 2000. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Five Fast Facts from VA-02

1. The Virginia Beach Boardwalk was originially built in 1888.
2. Commissioned in February 1927, the VFA-11 Red Ripper Squadron that is based out of Oceana is the oldest continuous active fighter squadron in the U.S. Navy!
3. Chesapeake consists of more than 353 square miles of land area, which makes us the 11th largest city in the U.S.
4. JEB (Joint Expeditionary Base) in Little Creek is the base for the Amphibious Forces in the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Fleet. It's also the largest employer in Virginia Beach!
5. Suffolk is the birthplace of Mr. Peanut, the famous mascot of Planters Peanuts.

Please don't hesitate to contact my D.C. Office at (202) 225-4215 or my Virginia Beach District Office at (757) 364-7650 with questions, concerns, or if you require assistance with a federal agency. And 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, Twitter, and Instagram pages (linked below) to stay up to date!

Take care,

Jen A. Kiggans

Congresswoman, Virginia's Second District