Congresswoman Jen Kiggans: Tell the Truth About Your Record and Stop Attacking Veterans
Virginia Beach, Va. - In response to a video posted to X (formerly Twitter), Affordable Virginia calls on Congresswoman Jen Kiggans to tell the truth about her record and stop attacking her veteran constituents. In the video, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans falsely claims that she never voted to cut veterans’ healthcare or child care and personally calls out two of her veteran constituents, Sean and Heidi, for speaking out.
"Congresswoman Jen Kiggans needs to stop attacking veterans like me and Sean for speaking the truth about her record. Even after leaving the military, I continue to serve my community and advocate for my fellow veterans and residents of Virginia Beach,” said Heidi, a constituent of Rep. Kiggans, Navy veteran and mother of three. “I’m not afraid to speak the truth. As I said in my ad that Kiggans felt the need to mention, ‘I’ve served my country. We need our representatives to serve us.’ It’s time for Congresswoman Kiggans to own up to her harmful votes and stop targeting her constituents who speak out. By putting a target on my back, she only shows how threatened she is by honest criticism from those she is supposed to represent.”
In their respective ads, both Sean and Heidi refer to the Default on America Act, which Kiggans voted for and included harmful cuts across the board, including child care funding, veterans’ healthcare, food assistance for women, children, and infants, and energy bill assistance. PolitiFact and KFF Health News found that House Republicans’ claim that this bill did not cut veterans’ benefits to be “mostly false.”
"Rep. Jen Kiggans needs to stop her dishonest attacks on veterans like Sean and Heidi, who are simply telling the truth about her voting record. Her support for the Default on America Act shows a clear disregard for the well-being of her constituents, slashing vital funding for child care and veterans' healthcare,” said Emily Yeatts, Affordable Virginia Campaign Director. “Kiggans should face the facts and own up to the harmful impacts of her votes instead of targeting those who are courageously speaking out. If she is embarrassed about her record, she should instead change course and start supporting the Biden Administration’s budget, which would expand access to high-quality, affordable child care and protect veteran’s healthcare.”
Here are the facts about Congresswoman Kiggans’ record.
Default on America Act Child Care Impacts:
Eliminates 5,900 preschool and child care slots in Virginia: According to the White House, “The Default on America Act would mean 3,600 children in Virginia lose access to Head Start slots and 2,300 children lose access to child care.”
Guts funding for low-income students: According to the White House, “The Default on America Act would cut approximately $70 million in funding for schools serving low-income children in Virginia— equivalent to removing nearly 1,100 teachers and specialized instructional support personnel from classrooms, impacting an estimated 330,000 students.”
Default on America Act Veteran Impacts:
Threatens Medical Care for Veterans: The Default on America Act included a 22% cut to funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. That would mean massive cuts to veterans’ health care, with 81,000 jobs cut across the Veterans Health Administration and 30 million fewer VA medical appointments nationwide. 162,300 veterans in Virginia could lose access to medical care, including wellness visits, mental health services, and substance disorder treatments.
Deprives Veterans of Mental Health Services: This bill would lead to substantial cuts to community mental health centers, mental health and substance use prevention grants, and other public health programs under the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill would also undermine veterans’ access to essential telehealth services.
Increases Food Insecurity for Veterans: Around 1.3 million veterans rely on SNAP. This proposal would take food assistance away from older veterans by adding harsh, complicated requirements for SNAP eligibility and restricting states' ability to safeguard vulnerable individuals currently subject to work requirements.
It’s not too late. Congresswoman Kiggans can still change course and support the Biden Administration’s budget, which would expand access to high-quality, affordable child care and protect veterans’ healthcare.
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About Affordable Virginia
Affordable Virginia, a project of Family Friendly Virginia, is a grassroots campaign urging Congresswoman Jen Kiggans to stop siding with corporations and the ultra-wealthy and start fighting for policies that will lower costs for working families in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District.
