Friends,

I hope that you enjoyed a Super Bowl weekend filled with great food and good company!

Before we dive into last week's highlights, I want to touch base on a vote that took place in the House last week.

On Tuesday evening, I voted to impeach Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for his willful refusal to comply with the law and his breach of public trust. Securing our country’s borders is a basic responsibility of the federal government, and the American people have a right to expect that responsibility to be fulfilled.

This week, the House will vote again on impeaching Secretary Mayorkas. I take no pleasure in this vote; however, I firmly believe that his negligence requires Congress to act. The status quo is simply unacceptable. I sincerely appreciate everyone who reached out to my office to let me know their thoughts on this important matter. Representing you to the best of my ability is always my number one priority in Washington.

Now onto last week's highlights...!

Fighting for Improved Servicemember Housing

On Wednesday, I questioned members of our military's leadership about the state of our base infrastructure and housing. I left the hearing encouraged that both Congress and the Department of Defense (DoD) are prioritizing desperately needed upgrades and repairs to servicemember housing.

I still regularly shop at Naval Air Station Oceana, and every time I visit base and look at the state of many of our barracks there - particularly those housing our unaccompanied sailors - it's clear to me that our government has failed our servicemembers. Improving housing is a critical piece of improving quality of life for our military members and their families, as well as increasing our recruitment and retention rates.

Over the past year, I have passionately advocated for improved base housing in meetings with Secretary of the Navy Del Toro, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Energy, Installations and Environment) Berger, and other members of military leadership. Last year, I joined a bipartisan group of my colleagues to demand that DoD institute immediate changes following a shocking Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that detailed horrific living conditions on ten unspecified military bases across our country.

As Congress continues to look for ways to improve quality of life and demand accountability for the Department of Defense’s shortcomings, I will remain a loud voice for our men and women in uniform and their families. They put their lives on the line for us every single day; we must ensure that we are honoring their service by providing them with the tools and resources they need to complete their mission.

A Day in Western Tidewater

On Thursday, I spent the day visiting Franklin! I started off my day at Paul D. Camp Community College, where I received a tour of their campus and learned about how their excellent programs are preparing Virginians for success.

Thank you so much to President Corey McCray for his warm hospitality. I look forward to visiting again soon! Following my tour and a roundtable discussion, I visited Southside Diabetes Medical Clinic.

Since opening in July of 2022, Dr. Dana Stallings' clinic has been a critical part of Franklin's care network. Despite the community's reliance on their practice, they had been experiencing significant delays when attempting to get credentialed through TRICARE, which had led to large scale reimbursement issues for their office. Hampton Roads is blessed to be home to many servicemembers, and Southside Diabetes has many patients who rely on the TRICARE system to receive their healthcare.

My team was able to intervene with TRICARE on Southside Diabetes' behalf, and they finally received their contract, which will allow them to continue to provide critical care for members of our military. Thank you to Dr. Stallings for the tour and for all you do to provide quality care to the Western Tidewater region!

After my visit to Southside Diabetes I headed over to the Franklin Public Library for my office's first mobile office hours of 2024! Members of my staff were setup inside, ready to answer any questions that VA-02 residents have.

If you or anyone you know is a VA-02 resident having trouble with a federal agency, please reach out to my office at (757) 364-7650 or by visiting kiggans.house.gov/agencies. Last year, my team and I were able to return more than $1.6 million from federal agencies to southeast Virginians!

Thursday was a wonderful opportunity to visit a few critical pieces of our Western Tidewater community. Thank you so much to everyone who hosted me or just took the time to say hi!

Preventing Discrimination in Healthcare

On Wednesday, I voted for and the House passed the Protecting Health Care for All Patients Act. This bill bans Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) - which have historically been used to discriminate against people with disabilities - from being used in federal health care programs. QALYs are a metric used to assign a dollar value on someone’s life and ration healthcare treatment and services accordingly. While Medicare has already banned this deeply misguided practice, both Medicaid and the VA still use it.

Government bureaucrats should not determine whether a person’s life is worth living. All patients with disabilities, including veterans, deserve access to the healthcare they and their doctors believe is best for them. That any American - and particularly those who have served our great nation - could be denied medical care due to a disability or chronic illness is deeply wrong.

As a primary care provider, I was proud to support this important piece of legislation. Programs like VA healthcare and Medicaid were designed to support some of our most vulnerable Americans. As our healthcare industry continues to face unprecedented challenges in Virginia and around the country, I will continue to support any and all efforts to ensure that quality, affordable care is available to everyone!

Continuing to Preserve our National Security

On Tuesday, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform unanimously passed my bipartisan Securing the Chain of Command Continuity Act by a vote of 41-0!

Last month, I introduced this legislation following reports that essential members of the U.S. government, including the President, were left in the dark over Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s recent absence due to health challenges. I’m concerned for Secretary Austin’s health and wish him well, however, the Department of Defense’s lack of transparency surrounding his hospitalization is very concerning.

At a time when our nation is facing threats around the world, we cannot afford for those who are critical to America’s national security to disappear without explanation and a clear delegation of their consequential responsibilities. If enacted, my bill would require all members of the National Security Council (NSC) to provide notification to the Executive Office of the President, the Comptroller General of the United States, and to each chamber of Congress within 24 hours of any planned or emergency medical incapacitation. By doing so, my bill would ensure a continuous chain of command among members of the NSC, which would help preserve our national defense superiority.

The legislation now awaits to be scheduled for a vote on the House Floor, where I'm hopeful that my colleagues from both sides of the aisle join me to protect the integrity of our national security!

Raising Awareness about Caregivers

On Tuesday evening, I joined fellow Assisting Caregivers Today (ACT) Caucus Chair Debbie Dingell from Michigan and NBC Anchor Richard Lui for a screening of Richard's new movie "UNCONDITIONAL", where I was able to speak with AARP members beforehand.

The movie follows the stories of three older Americans and their caregivers. As a geriatric nurse practitioner, I'm well aware of the critical role that caregivers play in the lives of many of our seniors, especially our veterans.

Last year, I introduced my bipartisan Caregiver Outreach and Program Enhancement (COPE) Act, which would increase mental health resources available to caregivers of America’s veteran population. This bill passed the House in December of 2023 and will hopefully pass the Senate soon!

Thank you to both Richard and Congresswoman Dingell for your tireless work to raise awareness of this important issue. It is critical that we look out for those who care for those who care for our older adults.

Weekly Poll

With nearly 300 votes last week, nearly 70% of respondents said that our military budget is not adequate. I agree with you, our military budget is inadequate.

As a former Navy Helicopter Pilot, Navy wife, and mother of children who now serve, I am proud to advocate for our military. I currently serve on the House Committee on Armed Services and over my first year in Congress have fought tirelessly to improve the quality of life for our servicemembers, and to ensure that our military is ready for the fight tonight.

And now on to this week's poll question!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week I want to honor Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Merritt “Red Mike” Edson, of the United States Marine Corps. (Medal of Honor Action date September 13th,14th 1942).

Merritt Edson was born in Rutland, Vermont on April 25, 1897. On June 27, 1916, he entered the Marine Corps Reserves, commissioning as a Second Lieutenant on October 9th of that year. Edson deployed to France with the 11th Marines in 1918 and although his regiment did participate in direct combat, the deployment taught the young Edson valuable skills which he would utilize throughout the rest of his military service. 

Edson remained in the Marine Corps after World War I, being stationed across various location across the US. In 1942, he was promoted to Colonel and was tasked with commanding the 1st Marine Raider Battalion. He and his battalion were deployed to the Pacific, where they fought and conducted successful raids on numerous islands, eventually participating in the Battle of Guadalcanal. 

After Americans seized the airfield on Guadalcanal, Col. Edson, with a force of 800 men, was assigned to take control of the Lunga Ridge, which overshadowed the airfield. Edson and his men faced significant Japanese opposition, with an attack crashing through the front lines. He and his troops were able to maneuver to minimize casualties. When the enemy, in a subsequent series of violent assaults, engaged in desperate hand-to-hand combat with bayonets, rifles, pistols, grenades, and knives, Col. Edson personally directed defense of the reserve position against greatly superior numbers, despite being continuously exposed to hostile fire throughout the night.

As a result of his leadership and gallant devotion to duty, he enabled his men to hold their position on the vital ridge, and retain command not only of the Guadalcanal airfield, but also of the 1st Division's entire offensive installations in the surrounding area.

At the age of 50 years and after more than 30 years in the military service of his country, Edson retired from active-duty service. He was promoted to major general at the time of his retirement on August 1, 1947. Edson continued advocating for the Marine Corps after his retirement and served as the first Commissioner of the Vermont State Police. Merritt Edson passed away on August 14, 1955. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Five Fast Facts!

1. Witchduck Road got its name by being the site of Virginia Beach’s first ever witchcraft trial where the suspect, Grace Sherwood was ‘ducked’ in the Lynnhaven River. 
2. The infamous Pirate Blackbeard, who was known for preying on English settlers and plundering their colonies, is rumored to have spent time hiding out off the coast of First Landing State Park and possibly even storing his treasure in the area. 
3. The Battle of Hampton Roads, which took place on March 8th and 9th of 1862, was the first ever conflict between two Ironclad ships.
4. The original Cape Henry Lighthouse was constructed in 1792 and while it is the 4th oldest lighthouse in the country, it was the first ever lighthouse authorized by the U.S. Government.
5. Fire Station 12, the Seatack Volunteer Fire Station, was one of the first fire stations in the country to have African American firefighters.

I'll be back in Washington this week as I continue to urge my colleagues to find solutions to responsibly fund our government while making the practical spending cuts that the American people expect us to make.

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