Friends,

We finished up a big week in Washington last week, including finally fully funding the government! After a long week in DC, I am excited to be back in the district to visit with and hear directly from you.

This year is already flying by...! As families begin to prepare for summer vacations, I want to make sure your passports are ready for your travels! When making travel plans, be sure to check your passport's expiration date. Also, don't forget to check your destination's guidelines here - some countries require your passport to valid for at least six months! If you have concerns or are struggling to get your passport, you can contact my Virginia Beach District Office at (757) 364-7650 for assistance!

Cutting Wasteful Spending, Supporting our Troops

Last week, Congress passed the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, and the federal government was able to remain open and functioning without shutting down. This legislation provides government funding for our military, Border Patrol, and other critical services, and I was proud to support it. It also reins in wasteful spending while strategically increasing our defense budget and taking care of our servicemembers. This bill is noteworthy because it cuts over $100 billion from what the President wanted to spend in FY2024.

This bill is not perfect but we currently have a 2 seat majority and we must take conservative wins when we get them. One of the main areas of concern for me were projects earmarked by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle specific to their districts. In the House, historically members use earmarks and those included in the final budget considered on the floor are not removed or adjusted. The majority party is respectful of the process and I am a believer that representatives should be able to direct money to specific projects in their district instead of DC bureaucrats spending aimlessly. 

I had one vote of YES or NO, and I will never vote against our men and women in uniform. Most importantly, it accomplishes some significant wins including:

• Funds the largest increase (5.2%) in basic military pay in over 20 years.
• Funds 22,000 Border Patrol Agents, which is the highest level ever funded, and provides $125 million for increases to Border Patrol overtime pay authorized by the NDAA. 
• Provides a $27 billion increase over the Department of Defense’s FY23 enacted level, and directs that funding to countering China, developing next-generation weapons, and investing in the quality-of-life of our servicemembers.
• Includes $8.7 billion for the childcare and development block grant at the Department of Health and Human Services. 
• Includes $305 million for the nursing workforce development programs at the Department of Health and Human Services.
• Fully funds the President’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget request for advance procurement for future Virginia-class submarines.
• Prohibits any taxpayer funding going to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), a group that had known operatives involved in the October 7th terrorist attacks.
• Targets resources to rural communities, including vital telehealth and opioid response resources. 
• Claws back $2.6 billion in unused COVID funds.
• Provides $125 million for increases in overtime pay for Border Patrol officers and a 25% increase for border security technology, including mobile surveillance technologies and tunnel detection systems.
• Prioritizes funding to counter China, including $300 million for Taiwan.
• Prohibits the IRS from targeting individuals for exercising their First Amendment rights.
• Ensures that no funds may be used to enforce a COVID vaccine mandate in the military. 

I am proud that even in a divided government, House Republicans successfully fought to refocus federal spending on America’s most crucial needs, both at home and abroad. We have to get our country back on the right track and it is an honor to take votes here in Congress that do just that on behalf of our military men and women and all of southeast Virginia.

Advocating for our Nurses in Congress!

I was honored to receive the National League for Nursing's 2023 Public Policy Advancement Award last week...! As the only nurse practitioner in Congress, I am proud to be a voice and advocate for nurses in Washington. Nurses play an invaluable - and often underappreciated - role in providing care to patients across the country.

I recently introduced the Nurse Overtime and Patient Safety Act with my colleague Rep. Matsui, which would ensure that nurses can continue to safely do their jobs and protect their patients. If enacted, this legislation will put much-needed overtime regulations in place, establish better working hours for our nurses, and prioritize high quality care for patients while preventing burnout in our healthcare workforce.

It was the honor of a lifetime to care for America’s greatest generation as a geriatric nurse practitioner. There is no doubt in my mind that my experience as a primary care provider helped me grow into the leader I am today. Thank you to the National League for Nursing and their President and CEO, Dr. Beverly Malone, for this great honor! I will always fight for our nurses...!

National Ship Repair Industry Hill Day

I was happy to speak at the National Ship Repair Industry Hill Day last week...! Ship repair associations from around the country traveled to our nation's capitol to advocate for the maritime industry, including our own Virginia Ship Repair Association. Our shipyards, subcontractors, and small business play a critical role in the industry's essential workforce and supply chain, and I recognize the importance of maintaining the military capability of privatized ship repair - which is imperative for our national security!

I am concerned about the president's FY25 defense budget, which cuts ship building and repair by nearly $400 million. We need a larger fleet size to deter our adversaries, and the President's FY25 budget request fails to meet this objective.

Ship repair is vital to our economy and way of life in Hampton Roads, not to mention our nation's overall fleet readiness. As a former Navy helicopter pilot, Navy wife, and Navy mom, I look forward to continuing to fight and advocate for our maritime industry in Congress!

Americans For Prosperity Community Event

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to sit down with residents in Virginia Beach to discuss their concerns with the economy. So many families are still struggling with a high cost of living due to failed federal policies...I was glad I could sit down with them to hear about their concerns and changes they feel are needed from Congress and the Administration.

Since President Biden took office, everything costs more. American families like yours and mine are paying more than an extra $1,000 a month just to buy everyday necessities, meaning many people cannot afford to buy a new home, a new car, or even pay off their credit card bill every month.

Hardworking Americans rely on financial security to take care of their families and pay their bills on time. They deserve an economy that gives the next generation a chance to reach the American dream. Please know that I have the residents of Virginia's Second District in mind as I work in Congress for an economy that supports you!

Working for Southeast Virginians

Did you know that my office is able to help you with problems you are having with the federal government? We recently helped Cynthia from Virginia Beach when she was having trouble with the Defense Financial Accounting Service (DFAS). Cynthia worked for the Department of Defense for 43 years, but was struggling to receive her official retirement documentation from DFAS upon her retirement.

After finding out that they had not fully processed her retirement, she contacted our office. We were able to work with DFAS to guarantee her retirement and secure her documentation, and had her issue resolved within two days! Congratulations on your well-deserved retirement, Cynthia!

If you are having trouble with a federal agency, my office is here to help you...! You can call my Virginia Beach District Office at (757) 364-7650 if you have concerns or need help.

Weekly Poll

With almost 700 votes last week, nearly 60% of you said that Congress should include humanitarian aid in an aid package to our allies.

And now on to this week's poll question! Please click one of the buttons below to share your opinion.

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to honor Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Lieutenant Michael Edwin Thornton of the United States Navy. (Medal of Honor action date: October 31,1972) 

Michael Edwin Thornton was born on March 23, 1949, in Greenville, South Carolina. After graduating highschool in 1967, Thornton enlisted in the United States Navy in Spartanburg,, South Carolina. In November of 1968, Thornton attended United States Navy SEAL selection and training in Coronado, California. He was among only 18 out of 129 students who graduated in March 1969. Upon his graduation, Thornton was assigned to SEAL Team ONE. 

In December of that year, Thornton deployed to South Vietnam where he conducted intelligence gathering operations across Vietnam. By the end of 1972, U.S. involvement in the region had waned and Thornton, a petty officer, was one of only a dozen SEALs remaining in Vietnam. On October 31st, Thornton participated in a mission to capture prisoners and gather intelligence from a base just south of the demilitarized zone.

During their mission, Petty Officer Thornton and his group launched up the river in a rubber boat towards their intended objective. However, once reaching land, the group soon realized that they had been launched too far north and were now in North Vietnamese Territory. The team strategically navigated the river banks in an attempt to avoid the large groups of enemy soldiers camped just off of the shore. The men encountered an enemy patrol on the beach and when Thornton shot one of the soldiers, nearly 50 North Vietnamese soldiers chased after him and his men. 

Thornton and the other men came under heavy fire by the enemy and the team quickly engaged in a fierce firefight, inflicting several casualties upon the enemy before moving back to the waterline to prevent encirclement. Upon learning that their senior adviser had been hit by enemy fire, PO Thornton returned through a hail of bullets to the lieutenant's last position and succeeded in removing the wounded and unconscious Senior Naval Advisor to the water's edge. He then inflated the lieutenant's lifejacket and towed him seaward for approximately two hours until picked up by support craft. 

By his extraordinary courage and perseverance, PO Thornton was directly responsible for saving the life of his superior officer and enabling the safe extraction of all patrol members, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. For these heroic actions, Lieutenant Thornton was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon on October 15, 1973, during a ceremony at the White House. 

Michael Thornton continued his distinguished career in the United States Navy until his retirement in 1992 as a Lieutenant. Today, Thronton resides near Houston, Texas where he helps to run a foundation which helps military families in need. 

Fun Fact of the Week!

One of America’s most important World War II General’s is buried in Norfolk, Virginia. General Douglas MacArthur is buried at the MacArthur Memorial in downtown Norfolk. The facility houses the General’s casket in the Rotunda alongside his wife Jean MacArthur. General MacArthur’s mother was born and grew up in Norfolk which was the main reason he chose for the city to be his final resting place.

Several cities lobbied for the honor of laying MacArthur to rest, but in the 1960’s, General MacArthur formed an agreement with former Norfolk Mayor W. Fred Duckworth, to build the memorial on the site of the old city hall. Other than the rotunda which contains the caskets of both Douglas and his Wife Jean MacArthur, the memorial is also home to a museum and research center devoted to the life of the great General. The MacArthur Memorial is an important piece of American history right in the heart of Hampton Roads...!

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