Friends,

Last week we were back in Washington, DC, after our August district work period. Unfortunately, our return to Washington was not as productive as it should have been as the House was unable to advance legislation to fund our military. You can read my full statement below:

I will continue to do everything I can to get this important legislation passed. Some weeks might be harder than others, but it is always a privilege to fight for Southeast Virginia in Congress!

AbilityOne Congressional Champion!

Last week, I was honored to be named an "AbilityOne Congressional Champion" for my commitment to Virginians with disabilities and support of the AbilityOne Program! This program provides employment opportunities through federal contracts for nearly 40,000 people who are blind or have significant disabilities, including more than 2,500 veterans...!

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several AbilityOne participants in Hampton Roads and am proud to have so many Virginians with disabilities working on our military bases; they make invaluable contributions to our community and our country. In fact, an estimated 25,000 AbilityOne employees work on Department of Defense (DoD) contracts, and the Department of Defense procures more than $2.3 billion of AbilityOne products and services per year.

Every American deserves to experience the rewards of meaningful employment. In Congress, I will continue to advocate for policies that support the economic and social inclusion of those with disabilities so they have greater opportunities to take pride in their work and lead independent lives!

Celebrating Grandparents Day!

September 10th was Grandparents Day! My grandparents were incredibly important to me and are a part of why I chose to become a geriatric nurse practitioner. It was so much fun to celebrate Grandparents Day with AARP Virginia at Bayside Recreation Center here in Virginia Beach!

Caring for our Greatest Generation as a primary care provider in Hampton Roads was a great privilege. In Washington, I'm committed to acting as a voice for our older adults, who often times don't have anyone to speak up for them. This Congress, I've introduced legislation to protect Social Security and Medicare and address the workforce shortage affecting our healthcare industry. I also recently relaunched the bipartisan, bicameral Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus, where I - along with my colleagues Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Senators Michael Bennet and Shelley Moore-Capito - will work to educate Americans on the challenges that family caregivers face and advocate for policies that support them.

Demanding Answers from the VA

The Department of Veterans Affairs' rollout of their new electronic health system - which is currently being tested at four VA hospitals around the country - has gone incredibly poorly to date. The program has already cost billions of taxpayer dollars and is requiring a complete reset. These results are unacceptable. On Thursday, members of the VA's leadership appeared before the House Veterans' Affairs Committee. You can watch my remarks by clicking on the video below:

As the Chairwoman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee's Oversight & Investigations Subcommittee, I will continue to conduct rigorous oversight of the VA. Veterans deserve to know they're getting the best possible care and taxpayers should feel confident that every one of their dollars provided to the VA is directly helping our nation's heroes.

In addition to conducting oversight as the Chairwoman of the O&I Subcommittee, I've introduced several pieces of legislation to improve our veterans' experiences when dealing with the VA, including the VA Medical Center Security Report Act of 2023 and the VA Supply Chain Management System Authorization Act. Representing so many current and former servicemembers in Washington is not a duty I take lightly!

Service Academy Information Night

Are your students interested in attending one of our nation's amazing service academies? If so, please join us for a service academy information night at Virginia Wesleyan University on October 3rd! This event is open to all high school students and their families.

As a Member of Congress, I have the honor of nominating qualified VA-02 high school students for appointment to four of the five U.S. service academies: U.S. Military Academy (USMA), West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA), Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA), Kings Point, NY. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, does not require a Congressional nomination. 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.

The information session will include an overview of academy life, instructions on how to work with my office throughout the nomination process, as well as an opportunity for students to meet with academy representatives and discuss requirements for admission. I hope to see you there!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to honor Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Technical Sergeant Harold Edward “Speedy” Wilson (Medal of Honor action date: April 21, 1953). 

Wilson was born in Birmingham, Alabama, where he attended Central Park Elementary and Ensley High School. In April of 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and was assigned to active duty. He would serve overseas in World War II for 27 months, at his station on Midway Island. Wilson would then be honorably discharged in October of 1945, with the rank of Sergeant.

2 years later, Wilson would reenter the Marine Corps Reserve. He then would be recalled to active duty in August of 1950 to join Company G, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Korean War. 

On the night between the 23rd and 24th of April 1951, Company G’s outpost was overrun by the enemy, whilst his platoon engaged from quickly made foxholes beyond the outpost. Under the cover of darkness, Technical Sergeant Wilson put his life on the line, braving enemy fire to retrieve the wounded and bring them back to the line they had formed. He was hit twice in the right arm and left leg, yet still refused aid and continued to encourage the men to fight on. He was wounded again in his shoulder and head, but Technical Sergeant Wilson stayed and continued to gather ammunition from the wounded and resupply his men. 

In this moment of true courage, a severely injured Wilson inspired his men to continue the fight against the encroaching enemy. Their position was at near defeat, but with him they were able to hold the line and turn back the furious enemy assault. Once the attack was quelled, he personally accounted for each man in his platoon before obtaining his own treatment.

Technical Sergeant Harold Edward Wilson’s actions demonstrate his determined and courageous spirit in risking his life to save his fellow men. He would later serve in the Vietnam War as well, further demonstrating his deep commitment to the United States and the Marine Corps. Wilson was awarded the Medal of Honor April 23, 1951. He was born on December 5th, 1921 in Birmingham Alabama, and died March 29,1998 in Lexington, South Carolina.

Five Fast Facts About Washington, DC!

1. Before the construction of the White House, there were two presidential palaces, one in New York and the other in Philadelphia. 
2. Until the year 1992, the National Museum of Natural History was known as the British Museum.
3. The Natural History Museum is the most Visited Museum among the Smithsonian Museums in America. In 2009, on an average, 7.9 million people visited this place.
4. The National Air and Space Museum is divided into thematic exhibition galleries which are twenty-two in number.
5. Approximately seven million people visit the National Air and Space Museum every year.

I cherish the time I'm able to spend back home; thank you to everyone who took the time to meet with me - or even just to say hi - during the month of August! It is the honor of a lifetime to represent Virginia's Second District in Congress.

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