Friends,

Welcome back to another weekly recap! I want to start by saying that it is the honor of a lifetime to represent Virginia's Second District in Congress, and I am excited to continue serving our Hampton Roads community in the 119th Congress!

I will be back in Washington this week as we work to finalize important legislative items before the new year and begin preparing for the new Congress come January. We have a lot to accomplish over the next two years... it's time to get back to work!

Thank You Veterans!

Before we dive into updates, I want to wish all of those who have served our country a Happy Veterans Day! As a granddaughter of a WWII veteran, daughter of an Army Green Beret who served in Vietnam, wife of a retired Navy F/A-18 pilot, and former Navy helicopter pilot myself, I know firsthand that freedom is not free.

The Hampton Roads community understands better than most that the men and women who put their lives on the line for our country are heroes. I am proud to fight for our veterans in Washington, including voting to provide the VA with its largest budget in history, holding the Hampton VA Medical Center accountable for patient safety failures, and helping more than 650 veterans navigate the VA's red tape - saving them and their families roughly $200,000!

It is an honor and a privilege to serve our veterans in Congress. On this Veterans Day and every day...a grateful nation salutes you!

Fall Championships for the Special Olympics!

I recently had the honor of attending the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics Virginia's Fall Championships in Virginia Beach! The excitement and energy were electric as these amazing athletes prepared for an exciting weekend ahead! Throughout the weekend, more than 1200 athletes participated in seven different sports, including golf, volleyball, pickleball, bocce, bowling, soccer, and roller skating.

I want to give a special thank you to the 200 coaches who assisted them, and over 800 volunteers and many sponsors. Your help with this important cause made the Fall Championships a reality for so many in our community. Congratulations to the winners and to all the athletes for their exciting achievements!

Fighting to Improve Military Quality of Life

As a former Navy helicopter pilot, Navy spouse, and now a Navy mom, I am laser focused on addressing quality of life issues faced by our servicemembers. I know that our nation’s military cannot fully take care of our country if we don’t take care of them first. At a time when our nation is facing increasing threats across the globe, Congress must act to ensure the quality of life and readiness of our servicemembers is prioritized.

That's why I recently joined my colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee Quality of Life Panel in urging the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee to consider and prioritize our panel's recommendations for this year's National Defense Authorization Act. These recommendations will ensure our military men and women have satisfactory housing, competitive pay, proper childcare, and sufficient healthcare.

Click here to read the full letter we sent to the Senate Armed Services Committee.

These brave men and women put their lives on the line for our freedom, and the inadequate resources they have been given is disrespectful. I have seen firsthand the poor living conditions they are forced to live in while defending our country and have heard stories of insufficient options for healthcare and childcare. I will not rest until our military is equipped to provide the resources and quality of life each and every servicemember deserves.

Swearing in Chesapeake's New Sheriff

Earlier this month, Sheriff Dave Rosado was sworn in as the City of Chesapeake's fourth ever sheriff, and I was proud to witness the momentous occasion! Sheriff Rosado has served as a deputy sheriff for the past 23 years and was most recently promoted to Undersheriff back in 2022.

I look forward to working alongside Sheriff Rosado as he begins this exciting next chapter. I also want to thank and congratulate Sheriff Jim O'Sullivan for his 33 years of dedicated service to our community, including the past 12 years as sheriff. Thank you, Sheriff O'Sullivan, and enjoy your retirement!

Funding Critical Search and Rescue Efforts

Over the past several months, we have seen the critical roles Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces have played in the aftermaths of Hurricanes Milton and Helene. US&R is made up of 28 different task forces across 19 states, including Virginia Task Force 2 headquartered right here in Virginia Beach! These groups have responded to countless disasters around the United States over the past 35 years, but they currently operate with outdated vehicles and equipment.

US&R needs further funding to replace its outdated equipment and increase its preparedness for future disasters. That's why I signed on to a bipartisan letter to House and Senate Leadership asking them to include additional funding for US&R in upcoming funding legislation. You can read the full letter here.

I will continue to advocate for those who dedicate their careers to protecting others. US&R Task Forces like the one here in Virginia Beach help save lives across America, and I couldn't be more grateful for their commitment to Hampton Roads and our surrounding communities and states.

Weekly Poll

With nearly 1,100 votes this week, 60% of you are concerned about how much the holidays are going to cost this year. I agree with you, today everything costs more which is why I have supported legislation to reduce wasteful government spending, cut taxes, and lower inflation. I believe America's economy works better when the people have more money in their pockets and not the government!

And now on to this week's poll question...!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week I would like to honor Medal of Honor recipient Captain (CPT) Edward (Eddie) Vernon Rickenbacker United States Army (Medal of Honor Action Date: September 25, 1918).

CPT Eddie Rickenbacker was born on October 8, 1890 Lizzie and Wilhelm Rickenbacher, who immigrated to the United States from Switzerland. He grew up in Columbus, Ohio. After his father died in 1904, Rickenbacker dropped out of school in his 7th grade to take jobs in order to replace his father’s income. 

CPT Rickenbacker worked multiple jobs before eventually earning a very positive reputation with Harvey Firestone, the founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber. After the United States entered World War I, he sailed to Great Britain and enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry. Initially he was assigned to drive officers between American Expeditionary Force (AEF) Headquarters and Paris. After a chance encounter with an army aviation officer, CPT Rickenbacker entered flight training in France. After completing his own training, his new unit, the 1st Pursuit Group completed group training under instruction from the French, including a French flying ace named Raoul Lufbery whom CPT Rickenbacker credits with being foundational to his pilot training. 

CPT Rickenbacker’s first combat mission was flown in April of 1918 and nearly ended in disaster due to thick fog. Things quickly turned around however and by the end of May 1918, he had shot down six enemy planes, one more than required to make him an ace. In the same time frame he also almost crashed when the fabric wing of his french built Nieuport tore off when he was in a dive. Rickenbacker was taken out of the fight for several months due to a bout of health issues. After recovering, Rickenbacker was placed in charge of the 94th Aero Squadron which was now flying the new SPAD XIII fighter. Among his first actions after assuming command with the rank of Captain, CPT Rickenbacker flew a solo patrol on September 25, 1918 in which he ambushed a group of seven German planes and shot down two of them. It was this action which ultimately earned him the Medal of Honor. By the end of fighting on November 11, 1918, Rickenbacker had a total of 26 kills, the most of any U.S. pilot, earning him the title of Ace of Aces. 

CPT Rickenbacker left the Army after World War I and returned to civilian life. He engaged in numerous business ventures in automobile production and commercial flying including the Rickenbacker automobile, Florida Airways, and Eastern Air Lines and collaboration with General Motors. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on November 6, 1930 by President Herbert Hoover. During World War II, CPT Rickenbacker undertook multiple civilian missions at the direction of Secretary of War Henry Stimson. These included traveling to England to advise the Royal Air Force and U.S. Army Air Corps leadership on bombing strategy. During a mission in the Pacific, Rickenbackers B-17 crashed and he was adrift at sea for 24 days before being rescued. His experience prompted the U.S. Navy to fit every life raft with an emergency fishing kit. 

After WWII, CPT Rickenbaker returned to Eastern Airlines where he worked as CEO until 1959 and chairman of the board until the end of 1963. He then spent the majority of the 1960s giving speaking tours. After several bouts of severe illness, Rickenbacker traveled to Switzerland in 1973 to seek medical treatment for his wife Adelaide whom he had been married to for 50 years. After contracting pneumonia, he died on July 23, 1973 at the age of 82. At his funeral, CPT Rickenbacker was eulogized by Lieutenant General Jimmy Doolittle. Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base and Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio are named in his honor. 

Constituent Corner!

I know how difficult it can be to navigate the federal government... Recently, my office was able to assist Isiah from Virginia Beach and helped him get a much-needed response from a federal agency in the same day!

If you need assistance with your military benefits or with another 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, Twitter, and Instagram pages (linked below) to stay up to date!

If you or your family are visiting Washington, DC in the coming fall months, please stop by to say hello! If you are interested in a tour, please let us know!

Take care,

Jen A. Kiggans

Congresswoman, Virginia's Second District

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