Friends,

I returned to Washington last week to kick off the 2024 legislative year! I was proud to start the second session of the 118th Congress off strong by introducing legislation to preserve the integrity of our military's chain of command, advocating for nurses to be able to practice to the full scope of their training, and celebrating our great law enforcement!

Helping Chesapeake Students to Succeed

Before heading back to Washington, I visited Chesapeake Public Schools' Career and Technical Education center to learn about how they're preparing our students for success in the workforce! This great initiative gives high school students an advantage by offering them a range of real world courses focused on everything from pharmacology to welding to 911 dispatch.

As higher education costs continue to skyrocket, I'm glad to see our local public education systems empowering our students to choose college alternatives that will provide them with valuable skills and steady, good paying jobs. I’m proud to stand by critical programs that help shape the futures of millions of students and will continue to ensure they are prepared for the job opportunities that the 21st century workforce has to offer them.

Eliminating Threats to America's Global Economy

Before we dive into all those updates, I want to first address the strikes that our military carried out last Thursday against the Houthi Rebels in Yemen. For weeks, this group has been attacking international shipping routes with unmanned drones and missile barrages. While I applaud this response from the Biden Administration, it is weeks overdue.

I've heard from many local businesses and manufacturers who are worried these attacks will hurt international shipping by preventing goods from being delivered. 12% of global trade passes through the Suez Canal, which is located on the other side of the Red Sea. Further attacks will cause ships not only to take longer routes around this area, but routes that lead them to use west coast ports rather than those on the east coast, including Virginia. That would have disastrous effects on our local economy and the countless workers who support it.

Our soldiers and sailors who are deployed to the region must remain a feared deterrent to effectively protect global trade. Those who wish us and our allies harm only speak one language: strength. We must make those who consider attacking us think twice before following through with their plans. I will continue to urge the Biden Administration to reverse their misguided decision to remove the Houthi Rebels from our list of designated terrorists and work to secure peace through strength - not only for our safety but for our economy.

As always, I am grateful for our soldiers and sailors in the region who are defending these international trade routes from terrorists...!

Fighting for Seniors' Benefits

With the annual Medicare open enrollment period having just ended, I know that many of our seniors have trouble navigating this government program. As a geriatric nurse practitioner, I'm all too familiar with how complex it can be for our older adults to access the benefits they need. 

As Congress continues to examine where we can make commonsense spending cuts, I want to reiterate my commitment to protecting Social Security and Medicare, which many Americans on fixed incomes rely on to get by. I believe that we can be doing more to ensure that Americans are able to utilize the full scope of their benefits, which is why I recently called for robust funding for State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIP).

These programs play an integral part in assisting Americans with their Medicare coverage; in fact, SHIP members connected with nearly 1.8 million individuals through one-on-one contact efforts and an additional 2.6 million people through public events during a recent 12 month period. To put that number in perspective, that means that roughly 7% of all Medicare beneficiaries have a contact with SHIP each year!

It's an honor to be a loud voice for my patients in Congress! If you or someone you know is having a problem with Medicare, the Social Security Administration, or any other federal agency, please don't hesitate to call (757) 364-7650 or visit kiggans.house.gov/agencies.

To read our full letter, click here.

Preserving the Chain of Command

Last weekend, it was reported that essential members of the U.S. government, including the President, were left in the dark over the Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s recent absence due to health challenges. I’m concerned for Secretary Austin’s health and wish him well, however, the Department of Defense’s lack of transparency is very concerning. At a time when our nation is facing countless global threats, critical communications breakdowns like these could have disastrous results and put our men and women in uniform at risk.

That's why I introduced the bipartisan Securing the Chain of Command Continuity Act! This bipartisan legislation ensures a continuous chain of command among members of the National Security Council (NSC) to preserve America’s nation defense superiority. In the event this notification does not occur, the respective agency would be required to submit a comprehensive report providing transparency surrounding the incapacitation and related notification failure to the above entities within 30 days.

I’m hopeful my bipartisan legislation will receive a vote soon so that we can prevent any similar chain of command breakdowns in the future and preserve the integrity of our national security!

To learn more about the Securing the Chain of Command Continuity Act, click on the picture above.

Advocating for Full Nurse Practice Authority

On Thursday, our House Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing on improving the VA's healthcare services for our rural veterans, who often have trouble accessing the care and benefits they earned. One critical piece to solving this problem is allowing our advanced practice nurses to use the full scope of their training to provide care. I was proud to stand up for these healthcare providers in our hearing.

To watch my remarks, click on the video below:

As the only geriatric nurse practitioner in Congress, this issue is very near and dear to my heart. Last year, I was proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce H.R. 2713, the Improving Care and Access to Nurses (I CAN) Act. This bipartisan bill aims to expand access to healthcare and reduce patient costs by removing the barriers Medicare and Medicaid have in place which prevent Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) from practicing the full scope of their education and clinical training without impeding on state laws.

By allowing APRNs and other nurses to practice to the full extent of their education, we can ease the healthcare workforce shortage and improve rural Americans' access to healthcare!

Celebrating Law Enforcement

On Tuesday, January 9, we celebrated National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day!

Last year, I was proud to vote for several pieces of legislation to support our law enforcement officers, including a bill that overturned a revision of the DC criminal code which would have reduced sentences for violent offenses, including carjackings. Our brave men and women in blue selflessly confront danger each and every day to protect us and our families...I firmly believe it is only right to support them for all they do to keep our communities safe. I am proud to back the blue...!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week we honor Medal of Honor Corporal Jason L. Dunham of the U.S. Marine Corps. (Medal of Honor Action date April 14, 2004).

Corporal Dunham was born November 10th, 1981 in Scio, New York. He attended Scio High School, where he played basketball and graduated in 2000. Upon graduation, Dunham joined the Marine Corps, completing his recruit training in October of 2000. He subsequently served as a Security Force Sentry at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in St. Mary’s, Georgia until 2003.  

In early 2004, Corporal Dunham was deployed to Iraq, where he served as a squad leader in the 1st Marine Division of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. While en route to a convoy that had been ambushed, the Corporal and his squad began came under enemy fire. Dunham ordered his men to dismount from their vehicles, and he and his squad proceeded on foot for several blocks. 

While approaching the Battalion Commander’s convoy, they encountered seven Iraqi vehicles attempting to depart the scene. Corporal Dunham’s squad moved forward and proceeded to search the vehicles when they were attacked by insurgents. He was charged by an enemy combatant and engaged in hand to hand combat with the individual. Ultimately wrestling the combatant to the ground, the Corporal noticed the insurgent had released a grenade and immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. He quickly covered the grenade with his helmet and body in order to shield his fellow Marines from the blast. 

In a selfless act of bravery, Corporal Jason Dunham sacrificed his life so that his fellow Marines could live. He displayed tremendous gallantry and devotion of duty to his country. He sacrificed his life for his country while upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. Corporal Dunham was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously by President Bush on January 11th of 2007 which was received by his parents at the White House. 

Five Fast Facts About Virginia!

1. Chesapeake is the second-most-populous city in the Commonwealth, home to 252,000 residents. It also is home to the East Coast’s largest population of black bears who make their home in the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
2. The state fossil of Virginia is Chesapecten jeffersonius, which is an extinct species of fossil scallop, mainly found along the coasts of rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.
3. Mt. Rogers, located in Jefferson National Forest on Virginia's border with North Carolina, is the Commonwealth's highest point, with an elevation of 5729 feet.
4. Virginia Beach holds the record for being the longest tourist beach in the Guinness Book of World Records, at 35 miles long!
5. Virginia Beach has one of the last remaining undeveloped areas along the Atlantic Coast in the Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge to the south of the city.

I'll be back in Washington this week to continue to advocate for commonsense spending cuts and border security while keeping our government open and operational. Border security is national security!

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