Friends,

After seven straight weeks in Washington, I was back in Southeast Virginia last week for a much-needed District Work Week. There's nothing better than being back home - especially for the Fourth of July! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!!

Before we dive in, I want to address some of the landmark Supreme Court decisions that were handed down at the end of last week. On Thursday, in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, the Supreme Court ruled that race cannot be used as a determining factor in college admissions. This decision reinforces that America is a nation where hard work, determination, and perseverance are rewarded both blindly and equally. The Court's action gives all students hope of achieving the American dream through diligence and motivation by bringing merit-based metrics back to admissions processes. I remain committed to respectful dialogue on how we can best serve all students in the Commonwealth of Virginia and across the United States!

On Friday, in Biden, President of the United States, et al. v. Nebraska, et al., the Court ruled that the President's plan to unilaterally forgive $400 billion of public student loan debt is unconstitutional. This fair and commonsense ruling affirms that taxpayers do not have to pay for loans they did not take out while saving the Federal Government billions of dollars at a time when our economy continues to struggle with high prices and increased inflation. People who chose not to pursue higher education and instead directly entered the workforce and military members who joined the service for the education benefits are now protected from paying for others' education loans by this ruling. In the wake of today's decision, I continue to be committed to working toward making higher education more affordable and attainable for all who desire to pursue that path in life.

Supporting Our Local Farmers

Did you know that agriculture is our Commonwealth's largest private industry? Across the Old Dominion, more than 43,000 farms cover 7.8 million acres of land, and they contribute $82.3 billion to our economy every year! We are blessed to have a large population of farmers in VA-02.

On Monday, I met with Western Tidewater farmers and officials in Suffolk for the first in a series of "Agricultural Roundtables" that I'll be hosting across Virginia's Second District. Our discussion focused on addressing the challenges facing our farmers and their livelihoods, the crucial importance of strong domestic food production to the economy and national security, and the upcoming 2023 Farm Bill (which Congress passes every five years to ensure that we're empowering our agricultural industry to flourish).

Thank you to everyone who attended! I value these discussions so much; they help me better represent you in Washington! To learn more, click on the picture below:

Fighting to Improve Military Mental Health

Improving the mental healthcare and resources available to our servicemembers is one of my biggest priorities on the House Armed Services Committee. During 0ur markup of the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, I fought hard to ensure that numerous provisions of my Sailor Standard of Care Act were included in the bill that we passed out of committee. I'm proud that this legislation takes steps to improve these services; however, there is more work to be done...!

Last week, I sat down with Chris Horne from WAVY to discuss. You can watch our interview by clicking on the picture below:

Veteran's Resource Fair This Week!

As a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am dedicated to helping our local veterans and their families understand the benefits they've earned. As a veteran with a large military family, I know how hard it can be to keep track of, let alone understand the resources available to us. That's why my office will be hosting a Veteran's Resource Fair at VWU in Virginia Beach this Friday!

Please join us from 10am to 11:30am to learn about the resources available to our former servicemembers and their families - both at the federal level and local veterans groups. Please feel free to invite other veteran friends in your network... I hope to see you there!

Combatting the Growing China Threat

It's no secret that China is the biggest threat that we've contended with in a long time. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee - and fierce advocate for our military - I'm working every day to provide our men and women in uniform with the necessary resources to be the deterrent force that our country and our world need.

On Tuesday, I was honored to give the keynote speech for the Center for Strategic & International Studies’ 13th Annual South China Sea Conference! I also joined Gregory Poling, Director of the Southeast Asia Program and Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, for a discussion about the need to empower our Navy to succeed at their mission of deterrence in the Pacific region. You can learn more by clicking here and watch my remarks by clicking on the picture below:

Celebrating TMMG's 15th Anniversary!

Since 2008, TMMG has been providing essential engineering expertise to our military and maritime industries, specifically focused on making sure our ships are able to serve their full life cycles. It's no secret that I am a fierce advocate for maintaining the strength of our Navy; that means prioritizing shipbuilding and keeping our current fleet in shape so that our ships can serve their terms.



It was an honor to celebrate this local business' 15th Anniversary in Chesapeake on Tuesday; thank you for all you do to keep our Navy, Coast Guard, and shipping industry running smoothly!

Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to honor Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant First Class Randall David Shughart (Medal of Honor Action Date: October 3, 1993). 

Sfc. Randall Shughart served as a United States Army Special Operations Command Sniper Team Member with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia during October of 1993. During an assault on a building and at two helicopter crash sites, Sfc. Shughart provided precision sniper fire from the lead helicopter while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire. While providing critical suppressive fires at the second crash site, Sfc. Shughart and his team leader learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the site. Without hesitation, he and his team leader volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite the growing number of enemy units closing in on the site.

After their third request to be inserted, Sfc. Shughart and his team leader finally received permission to perform this volunteer mission. When debris and enemy ground fire at the site prevented their first attempt, Sfc. Shughart and his team leader were inserted one hundred meters south of the crash site. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Sfc. Shughart and his team leader, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members.

Sfc. Shughart pulled the pilot and the other crew members from the aircraft, establishing a perimeter, which placed him and his fellow sniper in an extremely vulnerable position. Sfc. Shughart used his long range rifle and sidearm to kill an undetermined number of attackers while traveling the perimeter and protecting the downed crew. Sfc. Shughart continued his protective fire until he depleted his ammunition and was fatally wounded. His brave actions saved the pilot's life.

Sfc. Randall D. Shughart was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for "extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty" that went "above and beyond the call of duty". His Medal of Honor was presented to his widow at the White House by President Bill Clinton on May 23, 1994. He was born on August 13, 1958, Lincoln, Lancaster County, NE, and is buried in Westminster Memorial Gardens (MH) (230-G-2) in Carlisle, PA. His Medal of Honor is accredited to Newville, Cumberland County, PA.

Five Fast Fourth of July Facts!

1. The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped 13 times every July 4th in honor of the original 13 colonies. 
2. There are approximately 16,000 Independence Day firework displays that take place each year.
3. Calvin Coolidge is the only President that was born on the 4th of July.
4. Americans spend over $1 billion on fireworks every 4th of July...!
5. Americans consume about 150 million hot dogs while celebrating Independence Day. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, that number of dogs can stretch from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times!!

I'll be in VA-02 this week to celebrate America's Independence during our second District Work Week in a row. As always, 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