Friends,

The House had a district work week last week, so I headed to Southeast Virginia and spent time back home in Virginia's Second District! During the week, I had productive meetings with local groups and leaders across Hampton Roads, we welcomed Governor Youngkin to Virginia Beach to talk about Virginia's economic growth, and I introduced an important bill to protect members of our United States Coast Guard.

Read more about it all in this week's newsletter!

Introducing Legislation to Protect our Coast Guard

This week, I was proud to introduce the Coast Guard Separation Parity Act, a bill that would ensure members of the United States Coast Guard receive the same 20-year retirement benefits as their military counterparts in other branches. This bipartisan bill, introduced alongside Congresswoman Jill Tokuda (HI-02), aims to establish equal protections for members of our Coast Guard and create well-deserved parity with the rest of our Armed Forces...!

Specifically, this bill would ensure enlisted Coast Guard members who have served at least 18 years are not forced to leave the service shortly before reaching a 20-year retirement – giving them the same benefit as members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Space Force. Ensuring experienced personnel can complete their 20 years of service strengthens retention, morale, and fairness for those who dedicate their careers to protecting our nation.

After years of dedicated service to our country, every member of our Armed Forces deserves the right to retire with the benefits they’ve earned – including the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard Separation Parity Act ensures that the brave men and women who wear the uniform in our nation’s maritime force receive the same protections as their military counterparts in other branches. As a Navy veteran, I am proud to introduce this bipartisan bill to uphold our commitment to those who serve...!

This bill is endorsed by the Navy League, Concerned Veterans for America, Blue Star Families, Military Officers Association of America, With Honor, and Veterans for Mustangs. You can read more about this bill on my website here, or from 13 News Now by clicking below!

Meeting with the Virginia Ship Repair Association

When I'm home in Hampton Roads, I make sure to spend time with local groups to hear what's important to them. On Tuesday, I was honored to join the Virginia Ship Repair Association at their membership luncheon to talk about how important the shipbuilding and ship repair industry is to our region.

America is a maritime nation, and shipbuilding is the backbone of our economy in Coastal Virginia. Strong shipbuilding is vital to both our national security and local workforce. I will always be a strong advocate for the highly skilled men and women in Virginia’s Second District who build and maintain our ships...!

Improving our shipbuilding industry also means supporting our ship repair industry. As you all know, ship repair is critical to our economy here in Hampton Roads. Shipyards, subcontractors, and small businesses play a vital role in the industry's essential workforce and supply chain.

Investing in our shipyards and fleet is vital to improving our economy, maintaining a strong naval industrial base, and restoring military deterrence on the world stage. Thank you, Virginia Ship Repair Association, for having me and for your important advocacy for commercial and military ships here in the Commonwealth...!

Honoring Women Veterans in Virginia Beach

It was an honor to visit Jones and Cabacoy Veterans Care Center (JCVCC) in Virginia Beach for an event honoring women veterans this week!

JCVCC has 5 female veteran residents and 11 female veteran staff members, and the care they provide Hampton Roads veterans is unmatched. JCVCC serves our veterans in need of long-term care, memory care and skilled rehabilitation in Hampton Roads and throughout Virginia. I was proud to stand up and speak about my experience as a Navy veteran, and share some of the work I do in Congress on behalf of veterans as a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee...!

With so many veterans across our district and our Commonwealth, the work they do here at JCVCC is absolutely critical to our community. As a veteran and healthcare provider myself, I thank them for working from sun-up to sundown to provide quality care for our veterans and improve the lives of those who have worn the uniform for our nation.

Fun fact... this center is named after two local distinguished war heroes, Air Force Colonel William A. Jones III and Army Staff Sergeant Christopher F. Cabacoy. Air Force Colonel William A. Jones III of Norfolk was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam, and Army Staff Sergeant Christopher F. Cabacoy of Virginia Beach was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his service in Afghanistan. This facility is a great way to honor their service and sacrifice on behalf of our great nation...!

Welcoming Governor Youngkin Back to VA-02!

Governor Glenn Youngkin made a visit to Virginia Beach this week, and it was an honor to speak with the Governor about the importance of job growth and employment opportunities right here in the Commonwealth.

Hampton Roads is home to many amazing growing industries like defense, healthcare, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and so much more. I am proud to report that last year, Hampton Roads’ unemployment was below the national average thanks to our many employment opportunities across various sectors.

Governor Youngkin came to speak about his new “Virginia Has Jobs” initiative. “Virginia Has Jobs” is designed to connect job seekers with the wealth of opportunity available in the Commonwealth. Specifically, we have 250,000 jobs waiting to be filled and businesses are actively looking for qualified candidates to join their teams. Head to VirginiaHasJobs.com to learn more...!

Thankfully, our work on the federal level is complemented by the strong support at the state level through Governor Youngkin’s steadfast leadership. Since Governor Youngkin took office, Virginia has transformed our workforce development, and we have seen the highest labor force participation rate among our competitor states. Virginia's labor force participation rate stands at 66%, surpassing the national average of 62.5%.

We have reduced the cost of living, invested in business-ready sites and infrastructure, and fostered the growth of more than 10,000 startups. Virginia’s economy has seen significant investments in innovation, job creation, and workforce development, making it an ideal environment for families to thrive. I am proud to say that Virginia is open for business, and I’m excited to watch our growth continue to expand...!

Speaking with Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance

On Thursday, I had the opportunity to speak with the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance (HRMFFA). It was great to provide them with an update from Washington and hear from local leaders about how we can advance our shared priorities. We discussed the need for continued work on quality of life initiatives, the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act, and the housing crisis facing our local communities. These topics are especially important since Hampton Roads is home to 80,000 military service members and their families!

Hampton Roads proudly boasts an array of military installations like NAS Oceana (the East Coast Master Jet Base), Joint Base Little Creek, Norfolk Naval Base, and Langley Air Force Base, prominent commands among every branch of service, and a leading shipbuilding and ship repair infrastructure. Keeping these premier sites mission-ready helps maintain Virginia’s contribution to national security!

One of my biggest priorities since I joined Congress has been increasing our defense funding. I have been lucky to use my role on the House Armed Services Committee to advocate for our defense needs across America and right here in Hampton Roads, and I am committed to supporting our region through maintaining a strong military, unleashing American energy independence, and growing important manufacturing jobs. 

Many of us share some of the same goals, but we really unite under one underlying mission: We all want to make Hampton Roads a better place to live, work, and raise a family. We all want our region to thrive, and we all want to ensure our military remains the best and strongest in the world. Excited to work together to build a stronger Navy and a stronger Hampton Roads...!

Hearing from Awesome Local Scouts!

This week, I had the pleasure of joining Scouting America Tidewater Council for their 2025 Leadership Breakfast! Established in 1911, the Tidewater Council is the fifth oldest Scouting America council in the United States.

We listened to talks from a few amazing scouts and from former Eagle Scout and retired NASA astronaut Dr. Tom Jones…! He is a veteran astronaut, scientist, author, pilot, who flew on four space shuttle missions to Earth orbit, spending 53 days working and living in space. We listened to how Dr. Jones' time as an Eagle Scout prepared him for his impressive career...!

Scouting America's Tidewater Council provides programs for over 4,100 young people in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Northeastern North Carolina. It is clear how important scouting is to building character and fostering leadership! With these kinds of amazing programs, the future is bright for our next generation!

Franklin-Southampton Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting

This week, I joined the Franklin-Southampton Area Chamber of Commerce for their 71st Annual Meeting...! Congratulations to Southampton Academy for being named business of the year for their dedication to education and to our community!

It was a pleasure to see some familiar faces and meet some new ones. When our local business community thrives, so do the families across our district. You can always count on my support to help grow our businesses, both big and small, and unlock our economic potential!

The future is bright here in Virginia's Second District...!

Weekly Poll

With over 1,300 responses last week, over 84% of you said you support the President's efforts to increase American shipbuilding. I agree with you, which is why I recently joined my colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Save our Shipyards Act. American shipbuilding is vital to maintaining a strong Navy, and the shipbuilding industry is critical to the economy in Virginia's Second District! As a Navy veteran, I will always stand up for our shipbuilding industry.

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, Staff Sergeant Archer T. Gammon who served in U.S. Army during WWII (Medal of Honor action date: January 11, 1945). 

SSgt. Gammon was born September 11, 1918 in Chatham Virginia in Pittsylvania County. Gammon joined the Army from Roanoke, Virginia, in March 1942, and by January 11, 1945, was serving as a staff sergeant in Company A, 9th Armored Infantry Battalion, 6th Armored Division. 

In the Battle of the Bulge, he charged 30 yards through hip-deep snow to knock out a machine gun and its three-man crew with grenades, saving his platoon from being decimated and allowing it to continue its advance from an open field into some nearby woods. The platoon's advance through the woods had only begun when a machine gun supported by riflemen opened fire and a Tiger Royal tank sent 88-mm shells screaming at the unit from the left flank. SSgt. Gammon, disregarding all thoughts of personal safety, rushed forward, then cut to the left, crossing the width of a platoon's skirmish line in an attempt to get within grenade range of the tank and its protecting foot troops. Intense fire was concentrated on him by riflemen and the machine gun emplaced near the tank. 

He charged the automatic weapon, wiped out its crew of four with grenades, and, with supreme daring, advanced to within 25 yards of the armored vehicle, killing two hostile infantrymen with rifle fire as he moved forward. The tank had started to withdraw, backing a short distance, then firing, backing some more, and then stopping to blast out another round, when the man whose singlehanded relentless attack had put the ponderous machine on the defensive was struck and instantly killed by a direct hit from the Tiger Royal's heavy gun. By his intrepidity and extreme devotion to the task of driving the enemy back no matter what the odds, SSgt. Gammon cleared the woods of German forces, for the tank continued to withdraw, leaving open the path for the gallant squad leader's platoon.

At 26 years old, SSgt. Gammon gave his life for his country. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on February 13, 1946. Gammon is buried in Danville, Virginia.

Constituent Corner

I know how difficult it can be to navigate the federal government. Recently, my office assisted Pauline from Virginia Beach in resolving an issue she was having receiving her former spouse's federal retirement pay. After she reached out to my office, we were able to help her secure the retirement money she was owed!

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!

If you are or know a high schooler in Virginia's Second District who is an artist, I want to let you know about an awesome upcoming opportunity! Every spring, the House of Representatives hosts the Congressional Art Competition. This competition gives high school students in our district the opportunity to submit artwork for the chance to have it hung in our nation's Capitol. The deadline to submit artwork for our district is Friday, April 26, 2025. You can learn more about the rules to participate here!

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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