Friends,

I'm pleased to report that last week, the House passed a very important bipartisan tax package with my support. H.R. 7024, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, makes a historic investment in American workers, families, farmers, and small businesses by extending and building on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA).

I'm especially proud that this bill will extend Child Tax Credit eligibility to more than 16 million low- and middle-income children, as well as allow our small businesses to compete with our global competitors. It passed the House on a strong bipartisan basis - 357-70 - and is a great example of how both parties can put aside our differences and come together to pass legislation that will benefit Americans across our country...!

Click on the video below to learn more about how this bill will benefit working families and small businesses:

In addition to voting to expand the Child Tax Credit and encourage American innovation, I also pressed top enlisted leaders about quality of life issues facing our servicemembers, spoke at the Washington nursing conference that sparked my interest in serving my community as an elected official, and hosted our Commonwealth's First Lady to hear about her new initiative to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl. Here are the highlights from a very busy week in Washington...!

Advocating for Nurse Practitioners on Capitol Hill

On Tuesday, I attended the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Health Policy Conference Breakfast! Believe it or not, my unofficial start in politics came in 2019 when I attended this very same event and saw just how important it is to be a loud advocate for my patients.

As the only geriatric nurse practitioner in Congress, it was an incredible experience to speak to so many passionate healthcare workers. I encouraged them to use their voice to advocate for themselves, their families, and their patients, whether that be in their communities or in Congress. Nurse practitioners are the backbone of our healthcare industry and it is an honor to represent them in Washington...!

Questioning Our Military's Senior Enlisted Leaders

On Wednesday, our House Armed Services Committee Recruitment, Retention, and Quality of Life (QOL) Task Force heard from senior enlisted leaders about our military’s plans to improve base housing, mental healthcare, childcare, and other quality of life factors. We heard from the following leaders:



• Troy E. Black, Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 
• Michael R. Weimer, Sergeant Major of the Army 
• James E. Honea, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy 
• Carlos A. Ruiz, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps
• Joanne S. Bass, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force 
• John F. Bentivegna, Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force

The stories our senior enlisted leadership told were very enlightening. Improving our servicemembers' quality of life is one of my passions. During my first week in Congress, I took my staff to both Naval Air Station Oceana and Naval Station Norfolk to show them the poor quality of many of our barracks, particularly those housing our junior unaccompanied servicemembers. When you compare our barracks to many four-year colleges and universities, and then consider the differences between what we ask of each group of young men and women, it's clear there's a lot of room for improvement.

Click on the video below to watch my questioning:

I wake up everyday motivated to fight for our military members and their families...! I'm very proud that my first National Defense Authorization Act - which authorizes funding for every aspect of our military - featured record breaking quality of life investments in Hampton Roads and around the country. Rest assured I will continue to be a loud voice for increased resources to improve quality of life for our men and women in uniform.

Addressing the Consequences of the Border Crisis

Last week, I voted to pass a number of bills designed to address the consequences of the catastrophe at our southern border:

• H.R. 6678, the Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act: ensures illegal immigrants that commit identity theft and social security fraud face inadmissibility and deportation;

• H.R. 6976, the Protect Our Communities from DUIs Act: deports or deems illegal immigrants inadmissible to the United States if they are caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol;

• H.R. 5585, the Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act: named after a Border Patrol agent killed in a high-speed chase in 2022, this bill imposes criminal penalties on illegal immigrants who evade Border Patrol or other law enforcement officers, including deportation and ineligibility to be granted asylum, and;

• H.R. 6679, the No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act: Makes Hamas terrorists inadmissible to the U.S. and ineligible for immigration relief, including asylum.

The President insists that he requires new legislation to take meaningful action on the border; that's not completely true. Yes, we certainly need updated immigration laws. However, his Administration has actively repealed successful border policies, which have led us to the dire situation facing our nation today. That is why I joined more than 60 of my colleagues to urge President Biden to end the catastrophe at our southern border by enforcing our existing laws. We need both updated immigration laws and to enforce those already on the books if we want to make a dent in the ongoing crisis at our southern border.

A Visit from Virginia's First Lady

On Wednesday, Virginia First Lady Suzanne Youngkin visited my office to talk about her new fentanyl awareness pilot program, It Only Takes One!

Every community in our Commonwealth has been touched by the opioid epidemic. Unfortunately, more than 112,000 Americans died of overdoses in 2023, many from fentanyl. As a mother of four, healthcare provider, and Member of Congress, it breaks my heart to see so many Americans - many of whom are in their teens, 20s, and 30s - lose their lives to the opioid epidemic.

Last year, I joined my colleague Susie Lee from Nevada to introduce the bipartisan Treatment, Recovery, Education, Awareness and Training (TREAT) for Youth Act, which reauthorizes a critical community-based program to support youth at risk of substance abuse.

I’m so proud to see our First Lady and Attorney General Jason Miyares take the lead to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and drug use in our Commonwealth. By ensuring that our local, state, and federal governments are working together to raise awareness and prevent harmful substances from entering our communities, we can finally make a real difference in the fight against the opioid epidemic. To learn more about their great initiative, click here.

Weekly Poll

With over 200 votes cast, a nearly 60% majority said that the Department of Veterans Affairs should do a better job at providing healthcare of our veterans.

In Congress, I am proud to serve on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, and am the current Chairwoman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee. Drawing from my experience in the Navy and in my career in the healthcare field as a geriatric nurse practitioner, I will work tirelessly with both Republicans and Democrats to make sure our veterans are getting the top notch care they deserve while ensuring our partners at the VA are maintaining the highest standards of accountability and transparency.  

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 Private First Class Thomas Eugene Atkins of the U.S. Army. (Medal of Honor action date: March 10, 1945).

Gene Atkins was born in Spartanburg County, South Carolina on February 5, 1921. He enlisted into the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson in Columbia in December of 1942. Atkins served during World War 2 as a Private First Class in the United States Army in Company A, 127th Infantry, 32nd Infantry Division. 

In 1945, Atkins, deployed to the Pacific Theater and participated in the liberation of the Philippines. At 3am on March 10th, during the Battle of Luzon, his division came under heavy attack by Japanese forces at their defensive position along the Villa Verde Trail. At the onset of the attack, PFC Atkins was severely injured and two of his companions were killed in action.

Despite the continued assaults, Atkins held his position and returned fire. Once PFC Atkins had driven off the enemy; he stayed in his position in order to fend off any returning forces, despite his severe need for medical attention. An enemy machine gun was set up within 20 yards of PFC Atkins' position and unsuccessfully carried out attacks in an attempt to drive him from the area. Atkins remained in his foxhole for four hours, returning fire at the enemy as he underwent numerous Japanese assaults.

By the next morning, 13 Japanese soldiers lay dead in front of PFC Atkins' position. Atkins had fired 400 rounds and used three rifles until they became inoperable. While returning back to obtain a new rifle and more ammunition, PFC Atkins was persuaded to stay put for medical treatment. While waiting, he noticed an enemy soldier and killed him. Minutes later, he saw an enemy group situated behind the platoon’s lines and despite his condition he opened fire, forcing the enemy to withdraw from their position.  

PFC Atkins' bravery to stave off repeated enemy attacks, even though painfully wounded, were major factors in enabling his comrades to maintain their lines. For his actions, Thomas Eugene Atkins was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman in a ceremony at the White House on October 12, 1945.

After his time in the military, Atkins returned to his hometown of Campobello, South Carolina where he passed away on September 15, 1999. He is buried at fellowship Baptist Church Cemetery in Inman, SC. 

Five Fast Facts!

1. The youngest Speaker of the House was from Virginia! Mr. Robert M. T. Hunter was elected Speaker on December 16, 1839, at the age of 30.
2. St. Luke’s Church, located near Smithfield in Isle of Wight County, was built in 1682 and is the oldest church in Virginia! The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.
3. Naval Air Station Oceana was commissioned on August 17, 1943, when it was transformed from a swamp into the Master Jet Base on the East Coast.
4. Virginia is the largest seafood producer on the East Coast and the third largest in the country!
5. Woodrow Wilson ​​is the only U.S. President buried in Washington, DC.

I'll be back in Washington this week to continue to advocate for commonsense policies that benefit all Americans.

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