Welcome back to another weekly recap! I hope everyone in Virginia's Second District had a very Merry Christmas and has a Happy Hanukkah and a joyous holiday season! I hope you are enjoying this time surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones.

I was in Washington, D.C. last week fighting to ensure we kept the government open and prevent a government shutdown. Keep reading to learn more about what we accomplished for Hampton Roads over the past week!

Keeping Our Government Open and Accountable

From day one I have been committed to doing whatever I can to avoid a government shutdown and ensure our troops get paid no matter how bad Washington's dysfunction gets. While the process to get here was unbelievably frustrating, I am relieved Congress found a bipartisan path forward tonight to keep the government open and accountable to the American people.

I was proud to vote for last week's temporary funding bill to prevent a disastrous shutdown, but I share the concerns of those at home in Virginia and around the country who understand our military needs stability. A lack of long-term defense funding delays missions, undermines readiness, and inflicts unnecessary disruptions on our military infrastructure projects. As we work to return to regular order and passing full-year appropriations bills, I fought hard to ensure this temporary funding bill included critical support for our defense industrial base that will help provide job stability for workers in Hampton Roads. 

We are all tired of political games in Washington that cause last-minute scrambles just to keep the lights on. Congress can – and should – institute commonsense spending reforms without weakening our national security and costing the taxpayers billions of dollars with a government shutdown.

Next Congress, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle next Congress to restore fiscal responsibility and prioritize the needs of Virginia’s Second District.

Hosting a Local Ship Repair Roundtable

Last week, I was proud to join Senator Mark Warner to host our local defense industry leaders to discuss the Hampton Roads ship repair industry and how we can work together at all levels of government to ensure our military has the equipment and tools necessary to keep our country safe. Our conversation focused on how Congress must get back to regular order and pass full appropriations bills going forward.

We cannot have peace through strength without prioritizing our defense industrial base and military readiness. Our military needs consistent funding to best protect our country and allies. Without stable funding, programs can be disrupted, resulting in delays in shipbuilding and other industrial improvements, limited planned pay increases, and projects getting cancelled altogether. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to keep the government funded and functioning, and why bringing both parties to the table for these types of discussions is so critical.

I want to thank Senator Warner for convening the roundtable and all who participated. Our national defense is of the utmost importance to me, and I will continue working to put our military community first. It is the privilege of a lifetime to fight on behalf of our servicemembers here in Congress and protect them, just as they protect us.

Improving Accessibility in National Parks for Vets

As the wife of a veteran, the mother of future veterans, and a former Navy helicopter pilot myself, I have made it my mission since day one to advocate for the mental health of our servicemembers and veterans. As a primary care provider, I know the connection between outdoor recreation and improved mental health outcomes cannot be denied...that's why I am so excited that the EXPLORE Act, which includes my bill, the Military and Veterans in Parks (MVP) Act, passed the Senate last week!

Nearly five million veterans - or 27% of all former servicemembers - live with a service-connected disability. While outdoor activity has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, and reduced risk of psychiatric disorders, National Parks often lack adequate accessible trails, activities, and lodging for those with disabilities. My legislation would take concrete steps to ensure that our federal parks and lands are accessible to disabled Americans by increasing adaptive trails and improving recreation opportunities, as well as encouraging partnerships at the federal, state, and local levels to develop veterans recreation events on public lands.

I am proud to see the EXPLORE Act advance out of the House and Senate and head to the President's desk to be signed into law! Once law, my bill will help disabled Americans, especially our veterans, access all the beautiful National Parks and other outdoor recreation sites our nation has to offer. I will always fight to provide our veterans with the resources and tools they need to build healthy, happy lives...!

Better Homes for Our Heroes

Last week, I attended the legislative reception for Better Homes for Heroes to voice my support for better housing for our men and women in uniform! Our servicemembers deserve the highest quality facilities, regardless of where they are serving, and I am proud to partner with groups like Better Homes for Heroes to improve the lives and living conditions of those serving our nation.

At a time when our nation is facing increasing threats across the globe, Congress must act to prioritize the quality of life and readiness of our servicemembers. I have seen firsthand the unacceptable conditions of some of the military housing in Hampton Roads, and it is a top priority of mine to improve those conditions.

These men and women give our country the greatest gift by putting their lives on the line for our freedom. While we can never fully repay this gift, we can and should be committed to ensuring our servicemembers and their families have a quality of life commensurate of their service. As a third generation veteran with children who serve, I will always be a loud advocate for those who serve our country in uniform. Thank you, Better Homes for Heroes, for working to improve the housing conditions of our military!

Honoring Congresswoman Wexton's Public Service

Before we wrapped up the 118th Congress, I was proud to join several of my colleagues in the Virginia Congressional Delegation to honor the service of Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. After her diagnosis last year, she chose to create awareness for progressive supra-nuclear palsy and selflessly continued serving her constituents. We celebrate her service to our Commonwealth and wish her well as she retires…!

Weekly Poll

With over 1,100 responses this week, nearly 75% of you said that you were not planning on traveling outside of the Commonwealth this Holiday season. Regardless if you're traveling down the street, across town, or across the country, travel safe and have a very Merry Christmas!

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

Medal of Honor Recipient of the Week

This week I would like to honor Medal of Honor recipient Captain (Capt) Thomas G Kelley United States Navy (Medal of Honor Action Date:June 15, 1969)

Thomas Kelley was born on May 13, 1939 in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was a school principal. He attended Boston College High School and then College of the Holy Cross, graduating in 1956. 

Kelley joined the United States Navy in 1960 and attended Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. He was commissioned as an ensign and was designated as a surface warfare officer. His tours included the repair ship USS Pandemus (ARL-18) and destroyers USS Davis (DD-937) and USS Stickell (DD-888). He volunteered for service in Vietnam and was assigned to command of River Assault Division 152, an element of the Mobile Riverine Force. 

In command of a group of eight river boats, Capt Kelley led a mission to extract U.S. Army infantry from a canal in Kien Hoa Province, South Vietnam. During the extraction operation, one of the boats’ loading ramp malfunctioned and the Viet Cong executed an ambush on the assault craft force. Capt Kelley ordered his boat to be maneuvered in between the disabled assault craft and the Viet Cong forces firing on the force. Capt Kelley’s boat was struck by a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and severely wounded Capt Kelley in the head. Despite his injuries, Capt Kelley continued to coordinate his force and issue orders through a subordinate due to his wounds inhibiting his ability to speak clearly into a radio. Capt Kelley successfully suppressed the Viet Cong attack, evacuated the Army infantry, and extracted his force of river boats. 

Capt Kelley was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon in a ceremony at the White House on May 14, 1970. Capt Kelley lost an eye due to his head wounds sustained from the RPG hit to his boat. The Navy deemed him medically unfit and attempted to medically retire him. He successfully fought to remain in the Navy and was assigned as executive officer of USS Sample (DE-1048) and then commanding officer of the USS Lang (FF-1060). As captain of USS Lang, Capt Kelley helped rescue refugees fleeing Vietnam in the aftermath of the end of the Vietnam War. Capt Kelley’s final military post was assisting then Vice Admiral Boorda, future Chief of Naval Operations and a prior enlisted officer, in crafting new policies that expanded the stature and responsibilities of enlisted sailors. Capt Kelley retired from the Navy in 1990 after 30 years of service. 

Following retirement, Capt Kelley first worked as a civilian in the Department of Defense. In 1999, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services, succeeding fellow Medal of Honor recipient Thomas Hudner. Capt Kelley oversaw the creation of specific veterans services aimed at post 9/11 veterans and purposefully hired disabled young veterans in order to provide outreach about specifically tailored programs. Capt Kelley also worked closely with the U.S. Labor Department to enforce protections for returning service members. He retired from the Massachusetts Department of Veterans Services in 2011. In 2023, it was announced that the Arleigh Burke class destroyer DDG-140 would be named USS Thomas G Kelley.

Constituent Corner!

I know how difficult it can be to navigate the federal government... My office was recently able to assist Damian from Virginia Beach reschedule his biometrics appointment saving him time and hassle.

If you need assistance with your veteran 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 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

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