Friends,

As many of you know, last week Congress was called back to Washington to vote on legislation to prevent America from defaulting on her debts. I came to Congress to restore strength in our economy; my vote for the ‘Fiscal Responsibility Act’ was an important first step in reaching that goal.

I had two options to vote on this bill: yes or no. While I wish the bill reversed more wasteful spending, at the end of the day Washington is going to spend less money next year than it is this year, and that is something I am proud to support; therefore, I voted ‘yes’. Voting ‘no’ would have caused our country to default on its debt. Defaulting would be a disaster for American families already struggling under inflation caused by years of the government spending more money than we have. I simply was not willing to take that vote.

Many of my friends on the other side of the aisle insisted that we pass a clean debt ceiling increase without any spending cuts. This would have given the government a blank check to continue with the runaway spending that has ruined our economy. By passing the original ‘Limit, Save, Grow Act,’ our new House majority got the President to come to the table and negotiate. As a result of those negotiations, we secured meaningful cuts to government spending, got rid of red tape that limits American growth, will hold the executive branch accountable for its spending, and avoid default. Importantly – much like our Limit, Save, Grow Act – this bill does not make cuts to veterans’ benefits, Social Security, or Medicare.

This bill is the result of compromise and reflects the realities of a divided government. However, there is no denying we took a big step in the right direction by passing the most consequential spending reduction in over a decade. But we can’t stop here. We must continue working to fix all of the problems that Washington’s wasteful spending has created. Hear from me directly about why I voted yes by watching the video above.

Clean the Bay Day!

Did you know the Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States? Sadly, trash often threatens the Bay. That’s why on Saturday I joined thousands of volunteers across Virginia Beach for Clean the Bay Day to pick up litter and prevent it - along with lots of micro plastics and other harmful materials - from ending up in the Bay.

Since 1989, Clean the Bay Day has engaged over 158,200 volunteers, who have removed approximately 6.64 million pounds of debris from nearly 7,750 miles of shoreline in Virginia...!

It's always so encouraging to see everyone from our community come together for this day! I rolled up my sleeves alongside everyone from young children to seniors who are determined to help keep our rivers, streams, beaches, and trails clean. It just goes to show the positive impact we can have when all different aspects and levels of our community come together, from cities and counties, non-profits, military installations, small businesses and large corporations.

Coastal Virginians know how to be good stewards of the environment! That's why preserving Virginia’s coast and waterways will continue to be a priority of mine in Congress.

Helping Veterans Pursue Careers in Aviation

As a former Navy helicopter pilot and wife of a former Navy F/A-18 pilot, I am proud to announce that I joined three of my colleagues in introducing the American Aviator Act! This bipartisan bill establishes a pilot program at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to authorize competitive grants supporting flight-training services to Veterans who are not already military pilots.

Flight-training schools that have established pathways to employment with commercial air carriers are eligible for these federal grants to recruit and enroll veterans for flight training. Grant funding may be used for flight-training services, tuition, books, training materials, equipment and to cover the cost of a private pilot license.

Not only will this bill increase career opportunities for veterans and break down barriers that prevent them from pursuing careers in aviation, it will also help tackle an industry-wide pilot shortage. According to Boeing, 602,000 new pilots are needed over the next 20 years. Being a pilot was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had - I’m happy that many of my fellow veterans will now have that opportunity!

Combatting Antisemitism

Prior to the debt ceiling vote, the House voted on H.Res. 382, which condemns the rise of antisemitism and calls on elected officials to identify and educate others on the contributions of the Jewish American community.

I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation and am pleased to report that it passed with unanimous, bipartisan support. We must always condemn the toxic ideology of antisemitism. Simply responding to this kind of hatred is not enough. I am committed to preventing it from ever taking root in the first place.

Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to honor Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Commander Cassin Young (Medal of Honor action date: December 7th, 1941). 

Born in Washington, DC on March 6, 1984, Young graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1916. Shortly afterwards he served on the U.S.S. Connecticut. In 1919 he moved into sub training and served on both the U.S.S. R-22, as well as the U.S.S. R-3. From there he served on the U.S.S. New York from 1931-33 as a Lieutenant Commander. This training allowed him to move up to Commander of the U.S.S. Evans. 

On December 7th 1941, the enemy attacked Pearl Harbor. Commanding Officer Cassin Young showed outstanding heroism, distinguished conduct in action, and utter disregard for his own life during the attack on Pearl Harbor on the U.S.S. Vestal. He took action by taking command of a three inch anti aircraft gun. The Commander was forcefully thrown off the boat after the ricochet from an explosion. Commander Young proceeded to swim back to the U.S.S. Vestal to continue his command over the ship. After analyzing the multiple fires blazing in different areas aboard, Commander Young decided to beach the ship with its men a fair distance away to ensure safety and preservation. It was these brave actions that earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor. 

He was presented the medal by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz on April 18th,1942 in Pearl Harbor, onboard the U.S.S. Vestal. He also received the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart. Promoted to Captain in February 1942, he later was given command of the heavy cruiser San Francisco.

Captain Young was killed in action on November 13th 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal while closely engaging the battleship Hiei. He was 48 years old. Captain Young posthumously was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the Guadalcanal Campaign, and San Francisco received the Presidential Unit Citation. He was buried at sea but received a marker at the Mt. Pleasant Memorial Park Cemetery in Virginia. 

Five Fast Memorial Day Facts

1. Virginia Beach is home to the oldest surfing competition, The East Coast Surfing Competition, also known as ECSC. 
2. Virginia Beach is home to 3.5 military bases including the NAB Little Creek, NAS Oceana, and the FTC Dam Neck.
3. The Military Aviation Museum planes actually fly, so be sure to keep your eyes on the sky to see history in flight. 
4. Virginia Beach had one of the largest landfills in the country, “Mount Trashmore,” that has since been converted into a park! The city hosts a variety of festivals, celebrations and events at the park… including the 4th of July firework Show!
5. The oldest structure on the Virginia Beach boardwalk is the Atlantic Wildfowl Herigate Museum, located on 11th Street.

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