Friends,

Last week, my colleagues and I on the House Armed Services Committee marked up the fiscal year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which is our nation’s most important defense bill. Throughout 15 hours of debate, we considered over 1,000 amendments! I came to Congress to restore strength in our military; I’m proud that our committee produced a bipartisan bill that takes a major step toward reaching that goal and ensures every dollar Congress spends on our military is going toward helping our men and women in uniform accomplish their mission.

I am excited to report that I secured the passage of five critical mental health provisions from my Sailor Standard of Care Act in the bill! I am going to fight to ensure these provisions are included in the final version that passes both the House and the Senate so they can be signed into law by the President. Read more by clicking on the photo below!

Here are some of the other great wins I helped secure in the bill, which authorizes $886.3 billion for national defense discretionary programs:

• Requiring the Secretary of the Navy to report on the feasibility of recapitalizing the former Mare Island, California Naval Shipyard to handle surge capacity capabilities during a national emergency. Specifically, the report would examine the capabilities the facility could provide, the number and status of existing docks, the cost involved with recapitalizing the facility, and potential workforce challenges. 
• Directing the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs to look into expanding TRICARE for Life to include a benefit for the SilverSneakers Program. This would allow enrollees to access nearly 14,000 recreation centers, churches, senior communities, and other neighborhood locations across the nation. 
• Requiring a report from the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Veterans Affairs that proposes increasing the capacity of Arlington National Cemetery. The cemetery is rapidly nearing its capacity, which could prevent eligible veterans from receiving their full military burial honors. 
• Directing the Secretary of Defense to provide a report on the status of existing or planned privatized housing communities designated solely for unaccompanied servicemembers. All services are currently facing housing challenges for younger unaccompanied servicemembers, whether it be in quantity of housing available or quality of the housing they reside in - and that is unacceptable. 
• Reinforcing that servicemembers with children in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools have the right to be involved in their children’s education, while increasing transparency and accountability in DoDEA schools - watch the video below!

Importantly, the bill also:

• Counters the rising China threat by fully funding the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, constructing adequate projection forces, and rejecting the Biden Administration’s efforts to reduce the size of our Navy.
• Improves servicemember quality of life by instituting a 5.2% basic pay increase (the biggest in over 20 years!!), authorizing $113 million more than requested for construction of new childcare facilities, and providing more than $240 million to reduce servicemember out-of-pocket housing costs.
• Saves taxpayers $39 billion by reforming the budget, divesting from obsolete aircraft, cutting weapons programs experiencing ineffective cost growth, and eliminating inefficient Pentagon bureaucracy.
• Increases DoD oversight by requiring regular audits of U.S. security assistance to Ukraine and institutes quarterly briefings on the status of our amphibious warship fleet.

This bipartisan bill is an important step in the right direction. However, as someone who served our country in uniform, I know that we must take further action to fulfill our fundamental obligation to address America’s most pressing national security challenges. I will continue to be a fierce advocate for additional defense funding to ensure our military capabilities are sufficient to deter our adversaries like China and Russia, and to take care of our servicemembers and their families!

Congrats, Graduates!

We are blessed to have so many high school students graduating this month in Virginia's Second Congressional District…! Be on the look out for a special letter to the graduates from my office in the coming weeks… we put a LOT of envelopes in the mail on Friday! Congratulations on your great achievement!!

A Girl Scout Reunion

This week in Washington we had some very special visitors from the Girl Scout Council of the Colonial Coast…! I learned all about the different badges they have earned and was able to show them my sash from when I was a Girl Scout. Once a Girl Scout, always a Girl Scout! I am always grateful for the groups that take the time to visit my office in our nation's capital...!

Welcoming India's Prime Minister to Congress

I want to thank the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, for addressing a joint session of Congress last Thursday…! Based on our shared values and commitment to global peace and prosperity, the partnership between our two countries continues to grow. It was an honor to attend his address, where he shared his vision for India's future and spoke to the global challenges our countries both face. I have no doubt that the enduring friendship and strategic partnership between our two nations will continue to grow!!

Expanding Healthcare Choices for Small Businesses and Their Employees

Did you know that small businesses have ranked the cost of health insurance as their number one problem for 32 straight years? That's why I joined my Republican colleagues last week in spearheading innovative health care solutions to bring down health care costs for small businesses.

Specifically, we passed H.R. 3799, the CHOICE Arrangement Act. This legislative package helps small businesses offer more affordable health insurance plans to their employees! H.R. 3779:



• Expands Association Health Plans so small businesses can pool together and negotiate as a single health plan, reaping the same flexibility and affordability benefits as large businesses and corporations.
• Codifies a rule from the prior Administration expanding health reimbursement accounts, letting small businesses offer their employees cash to purchase individual health plans, giving them more flexibility in complying with Obamacare mandates.
• Ensures employers can protect themselves from catastrophic losses with stop-loss insurance to cover their employees’ health care costs.

As a nurse practitioner, I’m proud to continue my work to provide patients with access to quality, affordable healthcare here in Congress. As the Vice Chair of the bipartisan Congressional Nursing Caucus, I am laser focused on finding solutions that will provide affordable and accessible care for Virginians and all Americans.

Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week, I want to honor Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Vice Admiral John Duncan Bulkeley (Medal of Honor action date: April 10, 1942). 

John Bulkeley graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Class of 1933. Bulkeley is perhaps best-known for his daring rescue of General MacArthur in ferrying him out of the Philippines in his PT boat. He didn’t retire after WWII but continued his service into the Korean War, eventually retiring as a Vice Admiral in the U.S. Navy.

He was distinguished with this honor for extraordinary heroism, distinguished service, and conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty as commander of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, in Philippine waters during the period from 7 December 1941 to 10 April 1942. The remarkable achievement of LCDR Bulkeley's command in damaging or destroying a notable number of Japanese enemy planes, surface combatant and merchant ships, and in dispersing landing parties and land-based enemy forces during the four months and eight days of operation without benefit of repairs, overhaul, or maintenance facilities for his squadron, is believed to be without precedence in this type of warfare.

His dynamic forcefulness and daring offensive action, his brilliantly planned and skillfully executed attacks, supplemented by a unique resourcefulness and ingenuity, characterize him as an outstanding leader of men and a gallant and intrepid seaman. These qualities coupled with a complete disregard for his own personal safety reflect great credit upon him and the Naval Service.

John Duncan Bulkeley was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 4th, 1942 at the White House. He was born on August 19th 1911 in San Antonio, Texas. He died on April 6th 1996 in Silver Spring, Maryland and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Five Fast DC Facts!

1. All roads in DC lead to the Capitol building because it’s the dividing center for all the quadrants of the city!
2. Woodrow Wilson ​​is the only U.S. President buried in Washington DC.
3. DC holds the oldest fish market in the United States. The Maine Avenue Fish Market opened its doors in 1805 and has been operating ever since.
4. The U.S. Capitol Building dome is made up of 8,909,200 pounds of cast iron. 
5. According to the National Park Service, 25 million people visit the National Mall each year.

I'm back from a long seven week stint in D.C. to work in the district for the next two weeks! As always, 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