Friends,

Last week, Congress worked together to pass a continuing resolution and keep our government funded. Stopgap bills like this are far from ideal, especially for our defense industrial base which needs stability when it comes to funding, but I voted in favor of it to avoid a government shutdown.

Government shutdowns threaten our national security, interrupt critical services for working families, increase the unemployment rate, delay small business loans, and stall the growth of the economy. At a time when the crisis at our border continues to spiral out of control, two carrier strike groups and a SEAL team have been deployed to the Mediterranean, and families are struggling under high inflation and interest rates, neither our country nor our community in Hampton Roads can afford a shutdown.

By passing this continuing resolution, we are able to focus on getting our remaining fiscally conservative appropriations bills across the finish line. I remain committed, now more than ever, to finding a path forward to reduce spending, secure our borders, and truly tackle the problems plaguing the American people. My number focus in Washington is - and always will be - doing what's best for the people of Southeast Virginia. That will never change...!

Improving Seniors' Access to Dietary Assistance

Last week, I joined Congresswoman Robin Kelly from Illinois in introducing the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act! As a geriatric nurse practitioner, I have seen the positive impacts that medical nutrition plans can have on patient outcomes, especially my older adult population; unfortunately, under current law, Medicare only covers medical nutrition therapy for individuals with diabetes or renal disease.

That's why our legislation would expand Medicare beneficiaries’ access to Medical Nutrition Therapy, a cost-effective method to treat diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and other chronic conditions.

By expanding coverage for chronic conditions and diseases - including hypertension, cancer, and gastrointestinal diseases - the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act will ensure our older adults have access to proven and reliable dietary assistance! Nutrition is one of the most often overlooked - yet most important - elements to achieve a good quality of life, especially for those living with chronic conditions and serious diseases. To learn more about the Medical Nutrition Therapy Act, click here.

Another Successful Telephone Town Hall

Thank you to the more than 2,700 Virginians who joined me for our telephone town hall on Tuesday night! It was so valuable to hear your thoughts about the situation at the southern border, our economy, prioritizing our military industrial base, standing with our ally Israel, and other issues that are affecting VA-02 residents every day. I appreciate everyone who asked a question or tuned in! If you weren't able to join us, don't worry! You can listen the town hall in its entirety by clicking here.

Stomping Out Antisemitism on College Campuses

Over the last few weeks, we've seen an extremely troubling rise in antisemitism on college campuses across our Commonwealth and our country. In the wake of the brutal and unprovoked October 7th Hamas attacks, a student organization at the University of Virginia - which has the honor of bearing our Commonwealth's name - released a disgusting statement in which they sided with Hamas.

That's why, this past week, I voted to strip federal funding from any and all colleges and universities who condone or allow antisemitism on their campuses. Hatred has no place on our campuses or in our country. I am proud to stand with Virginia's Jewish community against any and all antisemitic threats!

Always Working for Military Families and Veterans

On Wednesday, I joined the Hill for a "fireside chat" focused on how we can better serve our military families and veterans! We discussed many paths forward for career development, healthcare, and disability benefits, however one of the biggest challenges facing our military today is poor recruitment and retention. You can read a recap of our chat by clicking here.

I believe one of the largest reasons for that is lack of quality base housing, spousal employment opportunities, and adequate childcare services. Access to quality healthcare - both mental and physical - also plays a large role in this issue. If we ever hope to address this very serious problem, we must start there.

Last month, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a shocking report detailing the horrific conditions that our servicemembers are faced with at ten different military installations across our country. While no bases in Southeast Virginia were mentioned in the report, the condition of base infrastructure at NAS Oceana and other local installations needs to be drastically improved. I hope that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin immediately acts on the recommendations my colleagues and I made.

Unfortunately, housing problems often affect our veterans as well. Skyrocketing prices along with drastic interest rate increases have made it nearly impossible for many Americans to afford a home, particularly first time buyers. The VA provides home loan benefits to our former servicemembers. however, under current law National Guard servicemembers do not receive the full credit they deserve for conducting Active Duty training.

The men and women who serve in our National Guard and military reserves stand ready to deploy at a moment’s notice in defense of our freedoms; It’s unacceptable that – up until now – they have been denied full VA housing benefits. Last week, I joined Congressman Pat Ryan from New York to introduce the “Expanding Home Loans for Guard and Reservists Act," which will close this loophole and ensure these men and women receive the benefits they've earned!

Happy Thanksgiving!

My family, staff, and I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you're celebrating with family, friends, and - of course - delicious food!

As the world around us becomes more dangerous, we're blessed to live in a nation where our men and uniform work night and day to keep us safe and free. I hope this Thanksgiving brings you a moment to reflect on all of the incredible opportunities our great country provides for us. Personally, I'm grateful beyond words for the opportunity to represent Virginia's Second District in Congress... it is truly the honor of a lifetime!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, we honor Captain Willis Winter Bradley Jr. of the U.S. Navy (Medal of Honor action date: July 23rd, 1917). 

Bradley was born on June 28, 1884 in Ransomville, NY and moved with his parents to Milner, ND, later that year. Growing up he attended public school and attended Hamline University in St. Paul Minnesota. After graduating, he moved on to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1906. 

Upon graduation, Bradley went to sea on the battleship USS Virginia (BB-13), and after two years at sea, he received his commission as an ensign on September 13th, 1908. He would later serve on the USS Cugloa and aid victims of the 1908 Messina earthquake, working tirelessly to rescue survivors and clear bodies and debris. For the next eight years, he served in various assignments, attending the Naval Postgraduate School in Annapolis Maryland and George Washington University. 

After service in San Diego between 1916 and 1917, he would become a gunnery officer aboard the USS Pittsburgh. On July 23rd, 1917, while cartridge cases were being reloaded, an explosion occurred. Bradley, who was about to enter the casemate, was hit so hard by the blast of the explosion that he was rendered unconscious. Upon regaining consciousness, in a moment of extraordinary heroism and devotion, Bradley crawled into the casemate to put out the burning materials that were in close proximity to other explosives.

Bradley’s actions on that day in 1917 likely prevented the destruction of the USS Pittsburgh and saved the lives of his many crewmates. Even after being knocked unconscious, Bradley was able to make the proper assessment of the situation and prevent further catastrophe. He retired from the U.S. Navy at the rank of Captain. After his Naval service at the end of World War I, he would go on to serve as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and as a member of the California State Assembly.

Captain Bradley was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Calvin Coolidge in the White House on May 1st, 1928. He was born June 28th, 1884 and died at age 70 in Santa Barbara, California. He is buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.

Five Fast Facts About Virginia!

1. Around 62.9% of Virginia’s land is forest.
2. Virginia can have around 30 to 45 days of annual thunderstorms.
3. Government agencies in Virginia directly employ roughly 700,000 Virginians, almost 17% of all employees in the state.
4. Virginia is the most populous state in the United States without a major professional sports league franchise such as the NFL, NHL, NBA or MLB playing within its borders. 
5. Before Virginia was separated into counties, it was actually divided by shires.

After a long ten weeks in Washington, I'll be back in the district this week working for Southeast Virginians and celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. If you see me out and about, please don't hesitate to say hello!

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