Friends,

I hope you all had a wonderful Veterans Day this weekend! As we honor the service and sacrifice of our nation's heroes, I want to share a message explaining what Veterans Day means to me. The 10 years I spent flying H-46 and H-3 helicopters in the United States Navy were some of the best of my life and inspired me to continue to serve my community and my country after I got out:

It is the honor of a lifetime to represent such a large and diverse veteran population in Congress. Every day I wake up excited that I'm able to work on many issues with the House Veterans' Affairs and Armed Services Committees that directly affect our current and former servicemembers. I am proud to use my voice to fight for policies that will provide tangible, positive improvements in the lives of our military men and women, particularly when it comes to quality-of-life and veteran healthcare.

Ahead of Veterans Day, I penned a guest essay in The Ripon Forum about what I value most about leading a life of service. You can read that article by clicking on the picture below...!

A Visit from Chesapeake High School Students

On Thursday I hosted Chesapeake's Atlantic Shores Christian School in Washington, DC! After their tour of the Capitol, I was also able to answer a number of their questions about how the People's House functions, the committees I sit on, and what an average day looks like in Congress (no two days are ever the same)! We also discussed why I chose to become involved in politics after getting fed up with the negative, partisan rhetoric that seems to dominate our news cycle.

I was very encouraged to hear that many of these high school seniors who just turned 18 are already registered to vote! They are our next generation of leaders...it is so important that they learn to use their voice and participate in our democracy from an early age.

If you're ever in Washington, please don't hesitate to stop by my office! We can also assist in giving you a tour of the Capitol; if you're planning a visit, please give us a call at (202) 225-4215 and a member of my team will happily help you...!

Honoring Sheriff Stolle

On Thursday, I honored retiring Virginia Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle on the Floor of the House of Representatives. After an impressive 43-year long career serving as a Navy reservist, State Senator, and Virginia Beach Police Officer, Sheriff Stolle retired from the force this fall.

Throughout his service, Sheriff Stolle made positive impacts on every corner of our community. I'm particularly proud of his work to establish and improve mental health programs for Southeast Virginia inmates. You can watch my speech honoring Sheriff Stolle on the House Floor by clicking on the video below:

The Grand Opening of Our New Veteran Care Center

On Friday, I joined Governor Youngkin, Commonwealth & local officials, and Hampton Roads veterans for the ribbon cutting of the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center here in Virginia Beach! Named for Air Force Col. William A. Jones III - who was a veteran who served in the WWII, Korean, and Vietnam Wars - and Army Staff Sgt. Christopher F. Cabacoy - who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010 - this brand new, 128-bed care facility will be a home for former servicemembers in need of short- and long-term care. 

As a geriatric nurse practitioner, I'm very happy that the center features a memory care unit. Cognitive-related diseases and injuries are often incredibly difficult for patients and their families, making quality care even more important. In addition to the memory care unit, the facility features a pharmacy, library, game room, and many other great features.

After six long years of construction, I'm so proud that our Commonwealth's third veteran care center is finally complete and open in Virginia's Second District! I'm confident that our former servicemembers who receive care here will be in very good hands. Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make this project a reality! To learn more about the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center, click here.

Improving our National Parks' Accessibility

Last week, I also introduced my bipartisan Military and Veterans in Parks (MVP) Act! Outdoor recreational activities can play an important role in the rehabilitation and recovery of our veterans. Unfortunately, our National Parks often lack adequate accessible trails, activities, and lodging for those with disabilities. 

By directing federal agencies to develop adaptive trails and campgrounds in the regions they manage – as well as accessible hunting, fishing, and kayaking opportunities - my legislation would ensure our disabled veterans and civilians can fully take advantage of all our beautiful parks have to offer.

Thank you to Congressman Scott Peters from California for co-leading this bill with me! Now that it's been introduced, the MVP Act will go through the House Natural Resources Committee, which I serve on. Stay tuned to track its progress! To learn more about the MVP Act, click here.

Telephone Town Hall

Please join me tonight for another telephone town hall! It's been a busy few months; hearing directly from Southeast Virginians is critical for me to represent you the best I can. This is a great way for you to let me know about the issues you care about the most and any concerns you may have with what's going on in Congress!

You can dial in to (833) 998-1732 if you want to ask me a question or just listen to the conversation. I'll talk to you tonight!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to honor Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Captain Wesley Lee Fox (Medal of Honor action date: February 22nd, 1969). 

Fox was raised on a farm outside of Herndon, Virginia, quitting school after finishing his 8th grade year, with the intent to become a farmer. Inspired by the service of his cousins who served during WWII, Captain Fox enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 4th, 1950, after the start of the Korean War. 

He completed his training on Parris Island, South Carolina in October of 1950. After a brief tour as a rifleman with the 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, he was deployed to Korea in January 1951, serving as a rifleman with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. During this tour he was wounded in action and for his actions was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”. 

He deployed again to Paris in 1965, and then Vietnam in September of 1967, serving as an executive officer and later company commander of Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines till May 1969.

In action against the enemy in the Northern A Shau Valley in early 1969, then 1st Lieutenant Fox’s company came under intense fire from a well-concealed enemy Vietnamese force. While attempting to execute an escape plan devised by Captain Fox, the enemy attacked and wounded Fox, along with other members of the command group. In a steadfast moment, Fox continued to direct his company through heavy enemy fire, moving through the hazardous area while coordinating aircraft support with the activities of his men. He would be wounded again in the final assault, but refused medical attention, establishing a strong defensive position, and effectively supervising the medical evacuation. Fox’s courage, valor, and unwavering devotion to his role as a member of the Marine Corps allowed his Company to overcome the enemy resistance and survive the assault. 

Captain Fox was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 2nd, 1971, by President Richard Nixon in the White House East Ballroom. Fox was born on September 30th, 1931 in Fairfax County, Virgina, and died at the age of 86 on November 24th, 2017 in Blacksburg, Virginia. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. 

Five Fast Facts About Virginia!

1. Wild horses roam free on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. There are about 300 horses that run free across the beaches, pine forest, and marsh land of the island.
2. The state flag of Virginia was designed in 1861, when Virginia seceded from the Union during the Civil War and officially re-adopted in 1912.
3. In the town of Culpeper, it is illegal to wash a mule on the sidewalk.
4. The largest athletic stadium in Virginia is Lane Stadium in Blacksburg (Virginia Tech), with a capacity of 66,233.
5. Virginia has 14 colleges and universities with Division 1 athletic programs.

I'll be back in Washington this week to continue my work to fund the government. As Congress continues to debate next year’s spending levels, I believe we can make responsible spending cuts while passing commonsense legislation to keep our government open. 

While I work to avoid a government shutdown on the 17th, I have introduced the Pay Our Troops Act to ensure our military and Coast Guard gets a paycheck no matter what. At a time when inflation and high interest rates continue to hurt our military families, many of whom have loved ones deployed with our carrier groups in the Mediterranean, we must give our troops the financial certainty they deserve and have earned.

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