Friends,

It was another busy week in Washington D.C....! It is an honor of a lifetime to represent Virginia's Second District in the U.S. House of Representatives...! On Monday, before heading back to our nation's capital, I met with leaders from the VA-02 Jewish Community to discuss the importance of maintaining a strong U.S.-Israeli partnership. We also stressed the need to find concrete ways that we can combat anti-Semitism in our world.

Our relationship with Israel is a mutually beneficial partnership that not only reinforces America’s moral values and strategic interests, but also promotes peace and stability. The U.S.-Israel relationship is truly the embodiment of “peace through strength”.

I look forward to helping advance U.S.-Israel defense cooperation here in Congress and will always stand with Virginia's Jewish community against any and all anti-Semitic threats wherever they arise.

Protecting Virginia's Coastal Waters

I'm pleased to report that this week, my Amendment to H.R. 1335, the Transparency, Accountability, Permitting and Production of (TAPP) American Resources Act, was passed by the House Committee on Natural Resources in a unanimous, bipartisan vote during its full committee markup...!

This bill pursues an all-of-the-above energy strategy and encourages domestic production by streamlining permitting processes. My Amendment ensures that the passage of this bill does not affect any existing leasing moratoriums, including those in place off the coast of Virginia.

In addition to the 2020 Virginia law that prohibits offshore oil and gas drilling leases, the Mid Atlantic Area – which encompasses the Atlantic coast from Delaware to North Carolina – was withdrawn from federal consideration for leasing until June 30, 2032. No offshore drilling has taken place in the region since the early 1980s, and no oil or gas has EVER been extracted from the Atlantic coast...!

Preserving Virginia’s coast and waterways is a top priority of mine! My amendment ensures that this commonsense legislation will create jobs, lower costs, and unleash American energy production...all without harming our Commonwealth’s natural beauty!

Over the last two years, skyrocketing energy prices have placed an enormous burden on families in my district and across the country. I was sent to Washington to deliver real results for Virginia’s Second District without compromising on our principles...the passage of my Amendment today allowed me to accomplish that goal!

Fighting for Accountability at the VA

On Thursday, I had the great honor of serving as Chairwoman for our first House Veterans' Affairs Oversight Subcommittee hearing...! The hearing was about Accountability at VA, focusing on leadership decisions impacting its employees and veterans. You can read the testimony from our witness, Ms. Tracey Therit, the VA's Chief Human Capital Officer, here.

Ensuring that our veterans receive the best care and resources is a priority for me! It is a privilege to be able to make impactful change for our veteran community and I look forward to tackling the real issues…

Legislative Highlights of the Week

H.J.Res.26

This week, Speaker McCarthy signed H.J.Res.26 after it passed both the House and the Senate. This resolution prevents the D.C. City Council from implementing its disastrous soft-on-crime criminal code overhaul that makes it easier for violent offenders to walk the streets of our capital. Thankfully, it is now being sent to President Biden for his signature...!

For two years in a row in D.C., there have been over 200 homicides, the highest in almost two decades. The D.C. City Council's answer to those horrific statistics? They passed a law that would give criminals reduced penalties for serious crimes like carjacking, assault, and rape.

With this resolution, which I was proud to vote for on February 9th, the House kept its Commitment to America and the Senate followed suit by voting to stop this soft-on-crime law from taking effect.

Friday's signing ceremony was attended by law enforcement officials and everyday Americans who are frustrated about the levels of crime in their neighborhoods. This is the People's House...where everyone of all ages can come to their nation's capital and see their government in action – they deserve to be safe when they do.

H.Con.Res. 21

On Wednesday, I voted against H.Con.Res. 21, which would require the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria. Some people claim that U.S. troop presence in Syria is not authorized by Congress. That is false...! The U.S. is conducting limited but important counter terrorism operations against ISIS. Those operations are regularly reported to Congress consistent with the law. Furthermore, troop levels in Syria have remained low and unchanged since 2019.

Withdrawing our limited forces from Syria will not only further weaken our national security and that of our allies, but also cede a dangerous amount of power in the region to Iran and Russia. It is strategically important for the United States to maintain a strong foothold in the region. While ISIS no longer controls significant territory in Syria, thousands of ISIS terrorist fighters remain in the area, ready, willing, and able to do harm to America and our allies. We cannot neutralize this threat from a position of weakness.

In August 2021, we all watched in horror as the Biden Administration’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal left 13 of our servicemembers dead and allowed the Taliban to retake the country in days. It was particularly difficult for me and my fellow veterans who sacrificed so much to stabilize this region to see such weakness portrayed by the United States on the world stage. It keeps me up at night knowing our enemies may no longer fear us and our allies may no longer trust us.

I'm committed to restoring American strength and will always fight to ensure our servicemembers have the tools and resources they need to accomplish their mission and come home safely.

Honoring A VA-02 Constituent and American Hero

On Tuesday, just as Congress was gaveled into session for the week, I spoke on the House floor to honor the life and memory of a member of the Greatest Generation, a Congressional Gold Medal recipient, and American hero…Montford Point Marine Corporal Linwood Holland. 

A constituent of Virginia’s Second Congressional District, Corporal Holland passed away in Suffolk on February 16, 2023 at the age of 99 years old. 

In 1942, Linwood Holland travelled to Richmond to enlist in the U.S. war effort, becoming one of the first Black Americans to serve in the Marine Corps. Corporal Holland served our nation and the Marine Corps honorably, fighting in the consequential battles of Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. He courageously paved the way for future generations of Black Americans and U.S. Marines.

I'm humbled to have been able to honor Corporal Holland and his legacy of bravery, perseverance, and love of country. The Suffolk Community, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the United States as a whole has lost a valiant member of the Greatest Generation. 

Coffee with the Congresswoman!

This week, on Thursday, I'm hosting Coffee with the Congresswoman...! Starting at 10am at the Kempsville Library, this event is meant to be a casual drop-in chat where I can personally meet with my constituents. It's an opportunity for you to ask questions about what's happening in Congress and for me to listen to your concerns about the challenges facing Virginia and our country as a whole.

My staff will also be there to assist you with any challenges you may have with federal agencies like the VA, the Social Security Administration, or the IRS...if you can't get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, my office may be able to help resolve the problem or get you the information you need!

I look forward to seeing you there...!

Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to highlight Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Edward C. Allworth (Medal of Honor action date: November 5, 1918).

While his company was crossing the Meuse River and canal at a bridgehead opposite Clery-le-Petit, the bridge over the canal was destroyed by shell fire. This caused Captain Allworth's command to become separated, part of it being on the east bank of the canal and the remainder on the west bank.

Seeing his advance units making slow headway up the steep slope ahead, this officer mounted the canal bank and called for his men to follow. Plunging in he swam across the canal under fire from the enemy, followed by his men. He then led his men up the slope, joining his hard-pressed platoons in front.

Leading the way, he forced the enemy back for more than a kilometer, overcoming machine-gun nests and capturing 100 prisoners, whose number exceeded that of the men in his command. The exceptional courage and leadership displayed by Captain Allworth made possible the reestablishment of a bridgehead over the canal and the successful advance of other troops.

Captain Allworth was awarded his Medal on February 9, 1919, by General John J. Pershing. After the war, he lived out his life in Oregon where he passed away on June 24, 1966. Captain Allworth is buried in the Crystal Lake Masonic Cemetery in Corvallis, OR.

Five Fast Facts from DC!



1. Throughout its history, the United States Congress has met in three cities: New York City; Philadelphia; and its permanent location of Washington, D.C.
2. The Washington Monument, standing 555 feet tall, is 267 feet taller than the U.S. Capitol.
3. The first-ever electronic vote in Congress took place on January 23, 1973...! The vote was a 15 minute roll call vote of Members, which prior to the electronic system took on average 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Theodore Roosevelt let his kids bring all of their pets to the White House, including dogs, a hen, a small bear, a lizard, guinea pigs, a pig, a badger, a blue macaw, a garter snake, a one-legged rooster, a hyena, a barn owl, a rabbit, and of course, a pony!
5. The First Cherry Blossom Festival was celebrated in 1935, almost 25 years after the first trees were successful planted around the Tidal Basin.

Please don't hesitate to contact my D.C. 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