Friends,

After 21 days of without a Speaker of the House, the House of Representatives was finally elected Congressman Mike Johnson (R-LA) to fill the roll, and we began to resume the people's work last week. We immediately met to pass legislation supporting our ally Israel, condemning Hamas' brutal and unprovoked attacks, and passing more of the appropriations bills required to responsibly and fully fund our government. Here are the highlights from a busy week in Washington (and one day back home)...!

Honoring the Servicemembers We've Lost to Suicide

On Monday, I attended a solemn, wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery for all of our military men and women we've lost to suicide. I was joined by several families of fallen soldiers, Senator Tim Kaine, and Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks from Iowa and Claudia Tenney from New York.

While the ceremony honored all of our deceased military men and women, it was specifically dedicated to Brandon Caserta, a young sailor who tragically took his own life while stationed at Naval Station Norfolk in 2018.

In the wake of Brandon's death, his parents Teri and Patrick made it their mission to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our military members. Thanks to their hard work, the Brandon Act, was signed into law on December 27, 2021, which:

• Allows servicemembers to seek mental health treatment confidentially and, if necessary, outside of the chain of command;
• Requires a mental health evaluation for servicemembers as soon as they self-report, and;
• Mandates that DoD provide annual training on recognizing when servicemembers may need a mental health evaluation.

Following the ceremony, I hosted Teri and Patrick in my office, where we discussed the positive changes their advocacy has brought, as well as the work that remains to be done. I'm very grateful for all that they do! Following the ceremony, I joined WAVY's Chris Horne to discuss the emotional day; you can watch that interview by clicking here.

This year, I introduced my Sailor Standard of Care Act, which builds upon the Casertas' important work by taking additional steps to improve quality of life and mental healthcare options for our sailors, particularly those in limited duty capacities. I'm also proud to serve on a bipartisan Recruitment, Retention, and Quality of Life Task Force, where we focus on tangible steps DoD can take to improve these often overlooked areas. Last month, my colleagues and I demanded accountability and change following an extremely troubling report which detailed unacceptable housing conditions at several bases across the country.

Improving the quality of life for every service member remains one of my top priorities in Washington...!

Protecting Our Drinking Water

For decades, DoD facilities have been one of the biggest contributors of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in our communities' drinking waters. These toxic "forever chemicals" can cause serious long term health effects.

That's why last week, fellow Virginia Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan and I introduced bipartisan legislation to tackle this problem and protect Americans across the country! On Friday, 13News Now featured a story about our bipartisan bill. You can read it by clicking here or on the picture above.

According to a new DoD report, at least 245 U.S. bases are contaminating or threatening to pollute drinking water for nearby communities, and hundreds more are likely at risk. This is caused by various technologies used at DoD installations, particularly firefighting foam laced with the chemicals discharged during emergencies or training exercises.

Our legislation, the Department of Defense PFAS Discharge Prevention Act, would contain these toxins at the source before they have a chance to enter into our drinking water. I'm proud to help take the lead to solve this decades-old problem!

Supporting Community College Nursing Programs

Community college nursing programs play a critical role in our nation’s healthcare workforce - in fact, they have been found to be one of the most instrumental institutions in training and educating health care workers. However, they receive next to no funding through the basic federal nursing program. With the U.S. on the verge of a nursing shortage that will leave far too many patients without the care they need, Congress must act.

That’s why I teamed up with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to make it easier for community college students to pursue a successful career in nursing, without worrying about financial hurdles. Specifically, I cosponsored the GROWTH Act. This important bill would make community colleges eligible to receive much-needed resources, helping support and expand their nursing programs which will in turn bolster the nursing workforce and enhance patient care.

As the only geriatric nurse practitioner in Congress, I am determined to find bipartisan solution that address the challenges impacting nursing education, recruitment, and retention. It’s a privilege to use my position in Congress to be an advocate for future nurses...!

Strengthening Our International Partnerships

I've had the honor of meeting several diplomats over the past few weeks!

On Wednesday, I met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. We discussed our deep commitment to maintaining global peace through strength. Two years ago, our nation formed a critical security partnership with Australia and the United Kingdom (called AUKUS) with the explicit goal of expanding our nations' submarine fleet. On Wednesday, I questioned Navy leadership on how our domestic industrial base can support this important agreement. You can watch that testimony here.

I also recently joined Congressmen Carlos Gimenez from Florida, Marc Molinaro from New York, Juan Ciscomani from Arizona, and Congresswoman Mary Peltola from Alaska for a bipartisan dinner with Hsiao Bi-khim, Representative of Taiwan to the United States! I shared the details of my August Congressional trip to Southeast Asia and had a productive conversation centered around the rock solid partnership between our two nations. Maintaining constant communication with our partners around the world is critical to global peace!

Prioritizing Local Businesses and Our Defense Industrial Base!

On Friday, I headed to Chesapeake to visit Carter Machinery where I received an informative tour of their facilities and learned about their large unmanned surface vehicles and engines, which have the potential to give our fighting forces an important tactical advantage on the battlefield.

I also spoke about the importance of prioritizing our domestic manufacturers, which is a critical element of a strong national defense. Not only do Carter's products provide the tools our servicemembers need to complete their mission, they also provide many good-paying, family-sustaining jobs in Hampton Roads. Thanks for having me!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, we honor Medal of Honor recipient Second Lieutenant Van Thomas Barfoot (Medal of Honor Action Date: May 23, 1944. Rank at time of Action: Technical Sergeant).

Second Lieutenant Van Thomas Barfoot was born in Edinburg, Mississippi in 1919 and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1940. After his completion of his basic training, Barfoot served with the 1st Infantry Division in Louisiana and Puerto Rico. 

In December of 1941, Van was reassigned to the Headquarters of the Amphibious Force Atlantic Fleet in Quantico, Virginia. He served there until it was deactivated in 1943. Following this he joined the 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division, which was deployed to Europe during World War II. During the Italian Campaign, Van was a part of multiple amphibious landings: the Allied invasion of Sicily in July of 1943, the invasion of mainland Italy at Salerno in September of 1943, and the landing of Anzio in 1944. 

On May 23rd, 1944, Barfoot's platoon was heavily engaged in an assault against deeply entrenched forces. Technical Sergeant Barfoot moved toward enemy positions alone through their left flank. Crawling toward an enemy machine-gun nest, he proceeded to throw a hand grenade on said nest. He carried onward to another machine-gun nest, where he captured three enemy soldiers. Members of another machine-gun nest subsequently abandoned their position and surrendered themselves to Sgt. Barfoot. By the end of the attack he captured a total of 17 prisoners. 

Later that day, Barfoot and his platoon fell under an armored counter attack by the enemy. Having secured a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot, in an exposed position, fired upon one of the three advancing Mark VI tanks. He destroyed the tracks of the leading tank while the other two altered their bearing and peeled off to their flanks. With the crew of the disabled tank dismounting, Sgt. Barfoot readied his Tommy gun and fired upon them. 

Upon returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot assisted two of his severely injured men roughly 1,700 yards to a secure location. Sgt. Barfoot displayed an exemplary amount of heroism, a strong amount of determination and extensive amounts of valor throughout this process. He was viewed as a true inspiration to his fellow soldiers. 

On September 28th, 1944, Van Thomas Barfoot was presented the Medal of Honor by Lt. Gen. Alexander M. Patch III in Epinal, France. Additionally, on June 13th, 2023, Fort Pickett was renamed in honor of Barfoot.

Five Fast Facts About Virginia!

1. FloydFest is a huge 5-day music festival that has been happening near the town of Floyd, Virginia since 2002. It typically features a mix of pop, rock, and reggae as well as local bluegrass, country, and other Appalachian mountain music
2. Wines have been produced in Virginia since the 17th century. Today there are over 300 Virginia wineries, most of which offer tours and tasting rooms. 
3. In 1991, Virginia designated the Square Dance as the Official State Folk Dance. This traditional Appalachian dance style has roots in Scots-Irish reels and English and French country dancing, with influences from indigenous American and African-American dance traditions.
4. The Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, is the world's largest office building.Constructed in the 1940s, the Pentagon has a floor area of 620,000 square meters.
5. Pocahontas State Park is the largest state park in Virginia. Pocahontas State Park was established after World War II in 1946 and covers just under 8,000 acres of Virginia's central Piedmont region.

I'm glad I've been able to spend a few days in Virginia's Second District following many days spent in Washington. There's nothing like being home...especially for Halloween! My family hopes you and yours had a Happy Halloween and that you got to enjoy more treats than tricks last night...!

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!

Take care,

Jen A. Kiggans

Congresswoman, Virginia's Second District