Friends,

Before we dive into this week's update, I wanted to remind you all that Tax Day is just one week away...! The IRS expects more than 146 million individual tax returns to be filed this filing season, and the deadline to file is April 15th. If you haven't done so already, it's time to finish your taxes.

I know that dealing with the IRS can be stressful... If you are having trouble with your return or believe the IRS made a mistake with your filing, reach out to my office and my casework team will do everything we can to help!

Visiting Joint Base Langley-Eustis

I recently visited Joint Base Langley-Eustis to get an update from their leadership and tour of the base. Watching the F-22s take off and land was an incredible show of force! We can rest assured knowing these brave airmen are defending our nation. I saw the ongoing renovations of the base's barracks and childcare center, and spoke with the staff of the medical clinic about the important work they are doing to care for our military families! I may be a Navy pilot but I am thankful to have the Air Force to guard the skies with us!

Supporting Our Regional Healthcare Providers

Chesapeake Regional Healthcare is an important partner here in Coastal Virginia, providing affordable and excellent healthcare to our local communities! It was great to see the progress they are making on their new behavioral health and open heart surgery hospital wings.

As a nurse practitioner, it is always refreshing to check in with other healthcare providers and hear from them about how policymakers can help them care for their patients! Thanks for having me - keep up the great work!

Honoring Our Vietnam Veterans

Vietnam Veterans hold a special place in my heart as my Dad served as an Army Green Beret during the Vietnam War… It was an honor to be with so many Vietnam Veterans and the Daughters of the American Revolution to commemorate National Vietnam Veterans Day last weekend. Thank you to all those who served our nation in Vietnam...it is a privilege to continue to honor your dedication to our great country.

Celebrating Montero Medical Missions

Last week my team attended the launch of the Montero Medical Missions' Behavioral Health Project in Chesapeake! For years Dr. Montero and his staff have been providing healthcare to the less fortunate, not just here in Hampton Roads but also around the world...! Now they are working to expand access to mental healthcare here in Coastal Virginia!

In 2022, nearly 47% of the U.S. population lived in an area with a shortage of mental healthcare providers, which highlights just how important the launch of the Montero Medical Missions Behavioral Health Project is!

In Congress, I am proud to be an advocate for increasing Americans’ access to mental healthcare. Since coming to Washington, I have introduced and cosponsored several pieces of legislation to do just that. I am incredibly grateful for Montero Medical Missions, their dedication to our community, and all they have done to shine a light on this important issue.

Join Us for Upcoming Mobile Office Hours!

Last but certainly not least, I want to invite you to join my team on Friday April 12, 2024 for mobile office hours at the Smithfield Library! If you are having trouble getting an answer from a federal agency, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help. While I cannot override the decisions made by a federal agency, my staff and I can often intervene on a constituent’s behalf to get answers to their questions, find solutions, or just cut through the red tape. To fill out a request online, please fill out this form.

No RSVP is required to attend this event...! Please feel free to call my District Office at (757) 364-7650 with any questions.

Weekly Poll

With over 860 votes last week, 67% of you said that the US is not investing enough in our Navy to maintain parity with the Chinese Communist Party.

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, Maj. Gen. James Lewis Day of the United States Marine Corps (Medal of Honor action date - May 17, 1945) 

James Lewis Day was born 5 October 1925, in East St. Louis, Illinois. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943, and went on to lead a career that lasted over 43 years. He was deployed to the Pacific theater, first seeing combat in 1943 during the battle for the Marshall Islands. 

On May 14th, 1945 Corporal Day, then stationed on Okinawa, was assigned to defend an area known to the marines as “Sugar Loaf Hill”, from an overwhelming Japanese force. Corporal Day recognized the inferior position that the Marines found themselves in and on the first day of the stand, rallied the men around him as he led them to a critical position on the front lines of Sugar Loaf Hill. Soon thereafter, they came under an intense mortar and artillery barrage which was followed by a ferocious ground attack by Japanese soldiers. Despite the loss of more than half of his men, Corporal Day remained on the front line with his fellow Marines.  

Day continued to lead his squad in repelling three night attacks during which they suffered five additional casualties and one Marine wounded, whom he assisted to safety. Upon hearing nearby calls for a corpsman, Corporal Day braved heavy enemy fire to escort four seriously wounded Marines, one at a time, to safety. Corporal Day then manned a light machine gun, assisted by a wounded Marine, and halted another night attack. During this defense, his machine gun was destroyed, and he suffered multiple white phosphorus and fragmentation wounds. He reorganized his defensive position in time to halt a fifth enemy attack with small arms fire. On three separate occasions, Japanese soldiers closed to within a few feet of his foxhole, but were killed by Corporal Day.

During the second day, the enemy conducted numerous unsuccessful swarming attacks against his exposed position. When the attacks momentarily subsided, over 70 dead enemy soldiers were counted around his position. On the third day, a wounded and exhausted Corporal Day repulsed the enemy's final attack, killing a dozen enemy soldiers at close range. By the end of the action May’s foxhole was surrounded by the bodies of over 100 dead Japanese soldiers and Day was recommended for a Medal of Honor for his actions at Sugar Loaf. 

Most of the surviving witnesses to the battle were killed soon after, including the battalion commander. As a result the paperwork for Day’s recommendation was lost, Day chose not to pursue the matter. He remained in the Marine Corps and later fought in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. In 1980, a retired Marine discovered carbon copies of Day’s Medal of Honor recommendation among his wartime possessions. The paperwork was resubmitted, on January 20, 1998, and shortly before Day’s death, he was finally presented the Medal of Honor by President Bill Clinton. 

Maj. Gen. Day inspired the efforts of his outnumbered Marines to defeat a much larger enemy force, reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. James Lewis Day passed away on October 28th, 1998 and was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California. 

Fun Fact of the Week!

Did you know that Virginia Beach is home to the oldest surfing competition? The East Coast Surfing Competition, also known as ECSC, is a 4 day event every year in late August at the Oceanfront. It was inspired by a beach and surf party held by a group of teenagers from Long Island in 1962. The next year it was established in Virginia Beach. Not only is ECSC the oldest surfing competition...it is also the longest running one in the country! 

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