Friends,

Before we get to this week's Weekly Debrief, I want to wish you all a Happy Presidents Day...! Did you know that our Commonwealth is home to more Presidents than any other state in the union!? Presidents from Virginia include: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson. That means that Virginians have served as President for nearly 20% of our history – how cool...! This week, we honor the contributions of these Virginians and all other Presidents made to make America the greatest nation on Earth.

Last week, I was in Washington for another week of session. The House voted on a total of eight bills, mainly dealing with border security, reining in the administrative state, and financial services. You can read more about some of what we voted on below.

And now on to another edition of the Weekly Debrief!

Ensuring Military Families Receive the Care They Deserve

Over the past week, several military families and concerned providers have reached out to my office highlighting significant issues regarding their TRICARE compensation. They detailed several instances of claims going unpaid or unprocessed. If providers cannot receive timely and comprehensive reimbursements, TRICARE beneficiaries will inevitably face denials of necessary care.

Our servicemembers and their families deserve reliable, high-quality healthcare. That’s why I immediately took action and led a group of my colleagues in sending a letter to Lt. Gen. Telita Crosland, the Director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), demanding answers about how the DHA plans to quickly resolve this issue. 

That is unacceptable to me...!

Failing to rectify these reimbursement issues will place an undue burden on those who have already sacrificed so much for our nation. It is imperative that the Department work to restore TRICARE payment services immediately allowing providers to remain operational and continue caring for those who have served.

You can read the full letter here. Thank you to Representatives Rob Wittman (VA-01), Mike Turner (OH-10), Seth Moulton (MA-06), James Moylan (R-Guam), and John McGuire (VA-05) for joining me in sending this letter.

Restoring American Energy Dominance

In Congress, I am honored to serve on the House Committee on Natural Resources, where I serve on the subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. Last week, our subcommittee met for the first time in the 119th Congress to hold a hearing focused on ways we can restore America's energy dominance.

Over the coming years, it’s expected that America’s electricity demand will increase by nearly 16%... What’s even more staggering is that in the Commonwealth of Virginia, demand is expected to nearly triple by 2040! Furthermore, this is all happening while the energy needs of our military also continue to rise. 

In order for America to meet this growth and continue leading on the world stage, we must unleash American energy dominance through an all-of-the-above approach.

As I'm sure you know, Coastal Virginia is home to the largest offshore wind project in the country, which is estimated to produce enough electricity to power 660,000 homes and employ 1,000 Virginians. One of the ways this project is possible in the first place is through collaboration between traditional energy infrastructure – as we have seen with retrofitted offshore-oil ships being used to construct our offshore wind project.

We need to be pragmatic in our approach to securing American energy independence. We must put America first by prioritizing domestic energy production and continuing to support the development of future energy, including offshore wind.

Relaunching the Military Family Caucus

Hampton Roads is home to more active-duty military personnel than anywhere else in the country, so all of us know that when someone chooses to serve our nation in uniform, their families serve too...! These blue star families contribute so much to our region, and it is our responsibility to support them.

Since coming to Congress, it has been an honor to consistently advocate for our military families, including as a member of the House Armed Services Committee's Quality of Life Panel. Together, our panel made meaningful progress to improve the issues surrounding military housing, pay and compensation, spousal support, and childcare for our military families.

But even with all the work we've done over the past two years, there is still so much more to do. That's why I am excited to announce that I will be co-chairing the Bipartisan Military Family Caucus alongside Congressman Sanford Bishop of Georgia.

As a former Navy helicopter pilot, Navy spouse, and now a Navy mom, I have lived many of the sacrifices made by our military families. I know how important it is to give these heroes the resources they need and am excited to continue leading as the co-chair of this caucus!

Securing Our Border and Protecting Our Communities

Our Republican Majority in Congress made a promise to secure the southern border and keep our communities safe from illegal immigrants who commit crimes – and that's exactly what we have done. 

According to U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks, since January 20th, illegal border crossings are down 90%. That’s a huge improvement, but Congress still has more work to do to support law enforcement and deliver on our promises. That's why this past week, the House passed H.R. 35, the Agent Raul Gonzales Officer Safety Act by a vote of 264 to 155.

If signed into law, this bill would make it a federal crime for illegal immigrants to evade law enforcement officers carrying out border security operations within 100 miles of the border.

Specifically, this bill would:

• Establish mandatory sentences if the evasion results in injury or death
• Ensure that illegal immigrants convicted of or have admitted to violating this law are eligible for deportation and ineligible for immigration relief, like asylum

This bill is named after Border Patrol Agent Raul Gonzales who was tragically killed in the line of duty on December 7, 2022 while pursuing a group of illegal aliens in Mission, Texas. Accidents like this occur far too often near our border, resulting in needless death and injury.

I will continue to do everything I can to deliver on our promises to secure our border, protect our communities, and defend law enforcement.

Hosting the Next Generation of Virginia Aviators

This past week, I had a chance to meet with members of the Virginia Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, which is a nationwide non-profit that gets young Americans involved in their communities by delivering emergency services, disaster relief, and skill development in aviation centered fields.

It was wonderful to talk to these young men and women about how Congress can support the important work they do on behalf of Virginians. During our meeting, we had a surprise visit from from Army Lt. General Francis, who originally got his start in the Civil Air Patrol! It was so nice of him to stop by to say hello and give these Virginia aviators some words of encouragement.

It's always a great day when fellow aviators stop by our office...!

Supporting Community Care for Our Veterans

The House Committee on Veterans' Affairs' Subcommittee on Health held a hearing last week to discuss failures at the VA when it comes to veterans accessing healthcare outside of the VA and in their communities. One of the panelists who testified before the committee was a local Oncologist from Hampton Roads, Dr. Scott Kruger...!

Dr. Kruger testified about some of the issues he and his patients currently experience when trying to utilize community care. This includes receiving authorization for too few follow up appointments, slow approval times, and more. You can watch the full hearing here.

Since coming to Congress, I have used my seat on the Veterans' Affairs Committee to deliver meaningful results for veterans and enact much-needed reform. This hearing sadly focused on just one of the many issues that are facing our veterans at the VA. I look forward continuing to work with my colleagues on both sides of aisle to provide oversight and get veterans the care they have earned!

Thank you to Dr. Kruger for making the trip to Washington to testify before our committee and for your continued advocacy for patients who are going through bad diagnoses.

Weekly Poll

With over 1,400 responses last week, nearly 60% of you said that you do not favor banning paper straws in favor of keeping plastic straws.

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

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I would like to honor the Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient Sfc. Alwyn Crendall Cashe of the U.S. Army (Medal of Honor action date: October 17th, 2005). 

Born and raised in Florida, Sfc. Cashe was born on July 13th, 1970 in Sanford and soon moved to Oviedo, Florida. In 1988, shortly after graduating high school he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He became an infantryman which would lead him to his first deployment in 1991 in support of the Gulf War. After the First Gulf War, he deployed to Yugoslavia during the Kosovo Conflict before deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. 

On October 17, 2005, while serving as a Platoon Sergeant in Salah Ad Bin Province, Iraq, he saved the lives of six of his fellow soldiers after the Bradley fighting vehicle they were riding in struck an improvised explosive device (IED). The explosion disabled the vehicle causing it to erupt in flames. Cashe pulled himself out of the burning vehicle, and then set his sights on saving the trapped driver. The driver, who was engulfed by flames, was then pulled out of the vehicle and had those flames extinguished by Cashe and a fellow soldier.  

Cashe did not stop there. He braved the fire as his priority was to save the lives of his men. Even though his uniform was fuel soaked causing it to ignite which gave him severe burns, his courage led him through the obstacle. He decided then to move to the rear of the vehicle to save the soldiers trapped in the troop compartment. The enemy had begun to notice his motives and started to direct their fire toward his position, until another element of the company distracted them. Sfc. Cashe wasted no time moving to an open troop door and aided four of his men as they escaped. However, there were still two of his men unaccounted for. He returned to the burning vehicle, and retrieved them. 

Finally, reinforcements arrived who were able to suppress the enemy and establish a Casualty Collection Point. When medical evacuation helicopters arrived, Sfc. Cashe disregarded his own second and third degree burns, and he ensured that the other injured soldiers received medical attention for the wounds they sustained. Putting others above himself, he made sure that they received medical attention before he was evacuated. 

Sadly, Sfc. Cashe died as a result of severe burns that covered 72% of his body on November 8, 2005. Cashe was initially awarded the Silver Star for his actions. His fellow soldiers petitioned Congress who in turn unanimously passed legislation to upgrade his award to the Medal of Honor. The bill was signed into law by President Trump in December of 2020. On December 16, 2021, Cashe was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on December 16, 2021. The award was presented to his wife Tamara in a ceremony at the White House by President Biden. 

On July 19, 2014, a new U.S. Army Reserve Center in Sanford, Florida was named in Cashe's honor. Then on May 11, 2019, the Oviedo Post Office was renamed in Cashe's honor. He is buried at Restlawn Cemetery, Sanford, Florida.

Constituent Corner

I know how difficult it can be to navigate the federal government. Recently, my office was able to assist James from Virginia Beach resolve an issue he was having with the Social Security Administration. Within a month of reaching out to my office, his case was closed with a positive result!

If you need assistance with 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 (linked below) to stay up to date!

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

Take care,

Jen A. Kiggans

Congresswoman, Virginia's Second District

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