Friends,

Yesterday, our nation witnessed the peaceful transition of power. President Trump and Vice President Vance officially took their oaths of office formally beginning their term in office. It was truly an honor to represent Virginia’s Second District in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building for this incredible ceremony. President Trump outlined a vision of unity, strength, and optimism for our great country. We have a busy four years ahead and I'm excited to get to work!

I also wanted to take a minute to acknowledge the contributions of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Every year, our nation dedicates a day to celebrate his life-long mission which sparked meaningful positive change in our nation and brought countless Americans together. His legacy will forever be apart of our nation's fabric and he will always be remembered as an American hero. Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Last week, the House continued to ramp up our work in the 119th Congress...! We have continued to vote on important legislation to secure our communities and strengthen our nation. You can read about some of our important work in the graphic below!

This week marks a new day in Washington D.C.! My first priority as your Member of Congress is to represent you to the best of my ability. Hearing about what is most important to you and your family helps me ensure your government is putting you and our community first. Over the next two years, should you have comments or questions for me, please feel free to contact me at my Virginia Beach or Washington, D.C. office or by filling out the form here.

Working to End the Nursing Shortage

I'm excited to announce that last week I introduced my first bill of the 119th Congress, the PRECEPT Nurses Act...! As a geriatric nurse practitioner, I have experienced firsthand how our nursing shortages have resulted in negative outcomes for patients and caused burnout among countless nurses on our healthcare workforce.

While requirements to become a registered nurse vary by state, most states require several hundred hours of clinical training led by a certified nurse preceptor. Unfortunately, the financial and labor costs associated with serving as a preceptor result in nursing students unable to find the preceptors they need.

My PRECEPT Nurses Act aims to increase the availability of clinical preceptors by providing a $2,000 tax credit for nurses who serve as clinical preceptors to nursing students. If we create more opportunities for both existing nurses and nursing students, we can provide better, more reliable care to America’s patients. I am proud to work with my colleagues across the aisle in both the House and Senate to introduce this important legislation and support nurses across our country...!

Protecting Women and Girls in Sports

One of the big items on the docket in the House last week was protecting women and girls. We voted on H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, which I am proud to announce passed by a vote of 218 to 206 with one Member voting present.

If signed into law, this bill would uphold the original intent of Title IX, ensuring that women and girls can fairly compete in sports. It would define gender as based on biological sex and prohibit your federal taxpayer dollars from going towards sports that allow males to compete in girls sports.

As a former coach and athlete who is the mother of two active girls, protecting women’s sports is personal to me...! Passing this legislation in the House is a huge win for women, and I am glad to see common sense prevail. 

I fought for fairness in girls sports as long as I've been elected office, introducing similar legislation I sponsored in the Virginia Senate. While we still have work to do to protect our female athletes, I am excited to see progress being made. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to stand up for women and quickly pass this bill so it can become law.

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Women, Peace and Security

In Congress, I am proud to serve as the co-chair of the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Caucus. This important caucus bridges foreign and defense policy to highlight and expand the critical role women play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peacebuilding and peacekeeping efforts, as well as in humanitarian response and post-conflict reconstruction.

This week, our caucus was joined by our incredible Japanese partners, led by Former Foreign Minster KAMIKAWA and Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. SHIGEO Yamada. Our event celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the WPS initiative and we discussed ways our international collaboration can continue to empower women moving forward.

Japan is one of our greatest allies in the Indo-Pacific and having lived there as an English teacher and as a Navy spouse, it is like a second home to me. The Japanese have been steadfast partners on WPS issues and in countering the omnipresent threat of China. It is always an honor to host our allies in Washington to further our collaboration on key issues.

Seeing the Future of Surface Warfare Combat

I recently had the pleasure of attending 37th Annual Surface Navy Association Symposium. Living in Hampton Roads, we each know someone who is or has served in the Surface Warfare community. When conflict arises, it is our Navy who first answers the call to preserve freedom and at the forefront of that mission are the surface combatants.

This educational symposium brought military, industry, and academic leaders together to discuss the past and present priorities of surface warfare and to collaborate on a comprehensive strategy for American strength in the future.

It was impressive to see the new technology and innovation being implemented by the Navy. If we are to restore a policy of peace through strength, we must invest in our Navy. Working with my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee, our military leaders, and our industry partners, I am confident we can reestablish deterrence on the world stage.

Getting Back to Committee Business

The beginning of Congress, also means a fresh start on our important work in House committees. I am excited to announce that I will remain serving on the House Committees on Armed Services, Veterans' Affairs, and Natural Resources which are all important to Virginia's Second District.

Over the past two years, serving on these committees has provided me a front row seat to influence some of the most pressing issues our region faces. I'm looking forward to continuing to work to strengthen our military, support our veterans, and preserve our treasured public lands and waterways.

Weekly Poll

With over 1,100 responses last week, nearly 90% of you said that Congress should pass the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act...! I agree with you, and like mentioned above I was proud to support its passage. While I am disappointed only two Democrats voted in favor of this legislation, I am grateful we were able to pass this bill out of the House. Now it heads to the Senate for a vote!

And now, on to this week's poll question...!

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I would like to honor Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant First Class Eugene Ashley Jr. (Medal of Honor action date: February 6-7, 1968). 

Eugene Ashley was born in Wilmington, North Carolina in October of 1930. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to New York City, New York where he spent his teenage years before joining the Army in December of 1950. He was assigned to active duty to serve in the Korean War and later in his life was also deployed to Vietnam.  

In Vietnam, he served as a Sergeant First Class in Company C within the 5th Special Forces Group. On February 6th, 1968, he put this position into action as he took part in a special mission to rescue U.S. Special Forces advisers who were trapped by North Vietnamese infantry at Camp Lang Vei. During the mission, he courageously led multiple attacks on the enemy. Although he lost communication with the main U.S. forces in the area, he continued his attack. Sfc. Ashley began directing air strikes and giving any artillery support he could to his team. In the end, he led five attacks on the North Vietnamese, exposing himself to enemy fire while adjusting airstrikes which forced the enemy to retreat. 

On the fifth attack, he adjusted air strikes nearly on top of his assault element, forcing the enemy to withdraw and resulting in the Americans gaining control of the summit of the hill. While exposing himself to intense enemy fire, he was seriously wounded by machine gun fire but continued his mission without regard for his personal safety. He went on to lose consciousness and was carried from the summit by his comrades only to suffer a fatal wound when an enemy artillery round landed in the area.

Sfc. Eugene Ashley Jr. had been posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor at the White House by Vice President Spiro T. Agnew on December 2, 1969 which was received by his family. He is now buried in Rockfish Memorial Park in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Eugene Ashley High School in New Hanover, North Carolina is named in his honor.

Constituent Corner

I know how difficult it can be to navigate the federal government... Recently, my office was able to assist Don from Virginia Beach secure resolve a seven month old dental care request through the Veterans Health Administration he earned in service to our nation!

If you need assistance with your military benefits or with another federal agency, my team is here to help. Contact my District Office at (757) 364-7650 or visit my website and my team will be in touch!

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 LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages (linked below) to stay up to date!

If you or your family are visiting Washington, DC in the coming fall months, please stop by to say hello! If you are interested in a tour, please let us know!

Take care,

Jen A. Kiggans

Congresswoman, Virginia's Second District

If you are not currently subscribed to the Weekly Debrief, you can subscribe below.