Friends,

Today, on Memorial Day, we mourn the countless American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting to protect our nation and defend our freedoms. May we always remember that freedom is not free. I encourage you to take a moment to reflect on what Memorial Day means to millions of people across the country, and I hope that you'll join me in recognizing the sacrifice and valor of our fallen servicemembers. Have a blessed and safe Memorial Day...!

Leading up to Memorial Day, we voted on several pieces of important legislation in Washington, including bills to regulate digital currencies and assets, and a bill that would prohibit noncitizens from voting in local Washington, D.C. elections. I was proud to vote in favor of these bills...you can read more about them below:

In addition to those votes on the House Floor, last week the House Armed Services Committee met for its annual markup of the National Defense Authorization Act! This important legislation authorizes funding for our entire military. You can read more below on how I fought to include provisions that ensure our military men and women are taken care of and our capabilities are sufficient to deter our adversaries.

Passing the National Defense Authorization Act out of Committee!

Over the course of 12 hours, the House Armed Services Committee met to review, amend, and pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). We debated and voted on hundreds of amendments, including some of my own! In total, this year's NDAA authorizes $895 billion for national defense discretionary programs to help deter China’s aggression, keep the F-35 program accountable by prioritizing software advancement, require the procurement of a second Virginia-class submarine, and includes $5 billion in improvements to servicemembers’ quality of life.

I’m proud to have secured several provisions in this bill that will provide our servicemembers with better housing and greater access to childcare, boost our local ship repair industry, and increase the resources our Armed Forces need to be ready to fight tonight. Here are just some of the highlights:

• I authorized $6.83 million for child development centers at both Naval Air Station Oceana and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.
• I secured a provision that explores providing free wireless internet access to servicemembers in all unaccompanied housing facilities.
• I secured a provision that requires the Department of Defense to consider the adequacy of TRICARE network and availability of specialized healthcare services when considering payment adjustments to providers.
• I authorized $15.93 million for unaccompanied housing at Naval Air Station Oceana.
• I secured a provision that requires the Navy to change its current practice of soliciting ship repair contracts on a coast-wide basis from availabilities longer than 10 months to only those that are projected to last more than 18 months. This will stabilize the workforce and investment challenges currently confronting Hampton Roads’ ship repair industry and reduce the likelihood of separation for sailors and their families stationed in Hampton Roads.

Additionally, I was proud to support an amendment to the NDAA to provide additional Congressional oversight over the Biden Administration's decisions related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The administration must respect and prioritize Congressional support of Israel.

At a time when our world grows more dangerous every day, America needs to prioritize our warfighters no matter if they are here at home or deployed abroad. Our men and women in uniform put their lives on the line for our country…it is only right that we provide them with the resources necessary to carry out their mission and a quality of life deserving of their service and sacrifice.

I look forward to supporting this legislation when it comes before the full House later this summer. As a former Navy helicopter pilot, military spouse, and mother to children who serve, I will always be a loud voice for our military community in Hampton Roads and across the country…!

Suffolk State of the City

Before heading to Washington for this important week, I attended the Suffolk State of the City. It was awesome to see so many friends and hear Suffolk Mayor Michael Duman share the impressive developments the city has seen over the 50 years since its founding. Since Suffolk was founded in 1974, its population has more than doubled, and is now over 100,000!

Thank you, Mayor Duman and the Suffolk City Council for inviting me to this wonderful event, and for ensuring that Suffolk is growing and thriving...! I enjoyed seeing everyone and learning about the exciting infrastructure and business projects in Suffolk that will improve the lives of so many residents and help the city continue to grow.

Prioritizing Children's Mental Health

I'm pleased to report that I recently cosponsored legislation called the Early Minds Act introduced by colleague Representative Pfluger of Texas. This bipartisan bill aims to help children and young adults struggling with mental health challenges by allowing states to allocate up to 5% of their Mental Health Block Grant funding towards prevention and early intervention initiatives. This strategic allocation of resources is critical in identifying and supporting Amerians before their mental health challenges escalate.

Mental health concerns among children are growing...in fact, recent reports revealed over 20% of youth reported serious contemplation of suicide in the past year alone. Additionally, 40% of teens report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, which is a significant increase from previous years.

These alarming figures highlight the urgent need for us to take proactive steps to address the mental well-being of our young people. I am proud to join my colleagues in this critical effort!

Honoring Our Veterans

Last week, I had the honor to join members of Congress from both sides of the aisle to wash the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ahead of Memorial Day. This monument holds the names of over 58,000 Americans who gave their lives serving our country in Vietnam, including friends of my father who is a Vietnam Army veteran. This tradition of cleaning the Wall is one of the many ways we remember and honor their sacrifice.

We are the land of the free because of the brave, and we owe these men and women an eternal debt of gratitude for their service and sacrifice. I thank my colleagues for joining me in this special, humbling event to recognize our fallen servicemembers.

Saying Goodbye to our Spring Interns

This spring, we had two excellent interns in our Washington, D.C. office who recently finished their internships...! Joey and Jake spent the semester speaking with constituents, giving tours to visitors from Hampton Roads, and assisting our D.C. legislative team. Our whole staff was sad to see them go, but we know that each of them has a bright future ahead. Thank you, Joey and Jake for all the work you did on behalf of Virginia's 2nd District!

Learn about Our U.S. Service Academies!

As a Member of Congress, I have the honor of nominating qualified high school students in my District for appointment to our nation's Service Academies. That's why, later this week, my office is hosting a Service Academy Information Night for students interested in attending one of these impressive schools! The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation.

Our Service Academy Information Night will include an overview of academy life, instructions on the nomination process, and an opportunity for students to meet with academy representatives and to discuss requirements for admission.

As the mother of a recent U.S. Naval Academy graduate, I am proud to support those who are interested in following in the footsteps of the more than 41 million Americans who have volunteered to serve our nation in uniform. 

Service Academy Information Night will be held at 6pm on Wednesday, May 29th, at the Goode Fine Arts Center at Virginia Wesleyan University. We hope to see you there!

Weekly Poll

With 994 votes last week, nearly 77% of you said that non-US citizens should not be counted in the populations of Congressional districts.

And now on to this week's poll question! Please click one of the buttons below to share your opinion.

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to honor Medal of Honor recipient Charles H. Baldwin of the United States Navy (Medal of Honor Action Date: May 25, 1864).

Charles H. Baldwin was born on June 30, 1839 in Smyrna, Delaware. During the Civil War, Baldwin joined the United States Navy. He served as a Coal Heaver of the U.S.S. Wyalusing. C.H. Baldwin fought for the Union in the Civil War, and was an exemplary serviceman.

Baldwin was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous participation in a plan to destroy the Confederate C.S.S. Albemarle. He “served on board the U.S.S. Wyalusing and participating in a plan to destroy the rebel ram Albemarle in Roanoke River on May 25, 1864. Volunteering for the hazardous mission, C.H. Baldwin participated in the transfer of two torpedoes across an island swamp. Weighted by a line which was used to transfer the torpedoes, he swam the river and, when challenged by a sentry, was forced to abandon the plan after erasing its detection and before it could be carried to completion.” After his escape from Confederate fighters, Baldwin went multiple days without food before he was able to return to the U.S.S. Wyalusing. Baldwin’s bravery is truly inspiring and a great testament to the selflessness of all American servicemembers.

I chose to honor C.H. Baldwin today to celebrate Memorial Day – a day which originated to honor fallen American servicemembers in the Civil War. I hope his bravery and selflessness can serve as a reminder to why we celebrate and honor our fallen service members today.

Charles H. Baldwin passed away on January 22, 1911, at the age of 71. He is buried at Christ Episcopal Church in Accokeek, Maryland. A United States Navy destroyer, the U.S.S. Baldwin, was named in his honor three decades following his death.

Fun Fact of the Week!

Did you know that Memorial Day is one of 11 annual federal holidays? In 1868, John A. Logan, a Union Army general, called for a national day of remembrance for fallen Civil War soldiers. On May 30, 1868, this occasion was held and served as the scaffolding for our modern celebration. This annual day of remembrance continued through 1971, when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and recognized Memorial Day as a federal holiday. I hope you have a reflective and restful day, and take today to honor all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep our country safe!

As always, please don't hesitate to contact my DC 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!

If you or your family are visiting Washington DC in the coming summer 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