Jennifer A. Kiggans

“I want the House to pass this bill. It lets the federal government partner with local towns to hire lifeguards when federal beaches do not have enough staff. It also pays those towns back for the cost.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5063, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act. I have the privilege of representing a district that lives on the beach and the bay. For families across coastal Virginia and the millions of Americans who visit our Federal beaches every year, water safety is incredibly important. Last year, we saw firsthand what can happen when the Federal Government fails to adequately staff these Federal beaches. Following a Federal hiring freeze, Assateague Island National Seashore was unable to provide its normal lifeguard coverage at the Federal beach in Chincoteague, Virginia. Families continued visiting and swimming, but the lifeguards they had come to rely on were not there. Our local leaders stepped up. The town of Chincoteague and Accomack County took on unforeseen costs to make sure lifeguards returned to the beach and families could safely enjoy the water. Our local governments should never be left scrambling to solve a Federal staffing problem on their own. That is why I introduced the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act. My bill provides a commonsense solution. When the Department of the Interior determines that a Federal swimming area is facing a lifeguard staffing shortage, it can partner with local governments to provide the necessary coverage. Importantly, when a local government steps up to provide those lifeguards, the Federal Government will reimburse it for the reasonable costs it incurs. This applies to designated swimming areas managed by the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation that are normally monitored by Federal lifeguards. Mr. Speaker, this bill is about public safety, accountability, and giving our communities a solution when Washington falls short. I am grateful to the local leaders on the Eastern Shore who worked with us after seeing this problem firsthand. I am proud that we have an opportunity to make sure communities across the country have another tool to keep their beaches safe. No family visiting a Federal beach should have to wonder whether a lifeguard will be there if and when an emergency happens. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act.”

“I voted to condemn socialism because it hurts freedom and individual rights. Our government works best when it stays small and gets out of the way of businesses and families. House Republicans have worked to cut taxes, lower housing costs, and stop insider trading in Congress. We work for you, and we must keep government limited.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on one of our Nation’s most sacred founding principles: the idea that the Federal Government should work for the American people, not the other way around. It is an ideal that dates back to the founding of our constitutional Republic and one that I never thought would need to be reaffirmed. However, it became a topic of debate this week, as my colleagues and I voted to advance a resolution condemning and denouncing socialism in all of its forms. Socialism, at its core, represents the very antithesis of small government. In socialist economies, the means of production are wholly owned and controlled by the State, completely dismissing the potential for human innovation and without the accountability and opportunity that only come from free market capitalism. Growing up during the Cold War, members of my generation witnessed the failure of the very socialist policies that some are advocating for today. We saw the poverty-stricken cities of eastern Europe, the underserved healthcare system of Cuba, and the violence committed against political dissidents that bravely spoke out against their failing governments. Socialism is not just about bad policy, but it represents principles that are fundamentally at odds with economic freedom and individual liberty upon which our great Nation was founded. I believe, just as the Founding Fathers believed, that government works best when it gets out of your way. We should never feel government. Unfortunately, so many rules and regulations have been put in place on local, State, and Federal Government levels that are growing the size of our government. Limited government means knowing where the Government’s responsibilities end and where people’s freedoms begin. That means cutting unnecessary red tape and protecting taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse. Choosing to ignore identifiable fraud in our government isn’t just wrong. It is theft at the expense of the American taxpayer. A small government is one that supports our small businesses because it recognizes that they are the backbone of our local economies, driving job creation and opportunity across our Nation. A small government gives businesses the freedom to invest, grow, and put more men and women to work. A small government protects our environment without stifling growth and development. A small government sets its eyes on the responsibilities that only it can fulfill, from taking care of our veterans and securing our borders to providing a strong national defense and standing by our allies. We, as elected officials, have a duty to meet the constitutionally outlined obligations entrusted upon us every election day. These values that prioritize a small government are important to me as a commonsense Conservative, and they are the very same values that our brave men and women in uniform have gone to some of the most dangerous places around the world to defend. I have worn that uniform, my husband has worn that uniform, and my son proudly wears it today, as do so many across Virginia’s Second District. I am proud of the work that I, alongside my Republican colleagues, have been able to accomplish in pursuit of these ideals. We passed the Working Families Tax Cut Act to keep the Federal Government out of your bank accounts and out of your pocketbooks by doubling the standard deduction, expanding the child tax credit, and establishing a new deduction for seniors because we believe that you, not the government, should keep more of your hard-earned money. We passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to cut burdensome red tape so we can incentivize developers, lower costs, and put the American Dream of homeownership back within reach for millions of Americans. We most recently passed the Stop Insider Trading Act to increase transparency in Washington because public office should never be a pathway to personal profit. These pieces of legislation embody the very spirit of what it means to have a limited government. They reflect the belief that you know how to spend your money better than the government does, the potential for growth and innovation when Washington gets out of the way and, most importantly, the assertion that at the end of the day, we work for you. With much more work to be done, I couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved and what Americans will continue to achieve. Limited government isn’t just a talking point. It has been proven to deliver prosperity and economic freedom for millions around the world, and it is firmly ingrained in the fabric of the American way of life. The United States is the greatest country in the world, not because of the power and scale of our government, but because we empower the people to live their lives by embracing freedom, ingenuity, and hard work here.”

• Little substance
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  Speech in the House

  Signal 29 of 100

  Much of this statement went to praise, blame, greetings, routine procedure or general stories rather than reasons, requests or specific points.

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“I want Congress to pass this defense bill. It raises pay for service members by up to 7 percent and buys the ships, planes, and weapons our military needs. It also improves healthcare, expands childcare, and supports military families.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. As a Navy veteran, former helicopter pilot, Navy spouse, and Navy mom, I know our military is only as strong as the men and women who serve. This bill puts our warfighters first by supporting a pay raise of up to 7 percent and providing them with the training, equipment, and resources they need to fight, win, and return home safely. It strengthens American airpower, rebuilds our munitions stockpiles, advances unmanned and next-generation technologies, and invests in ships the Navy needs. It also supports American shipbuilders, ship repair professionals, aviators, and maintainers who keep our fleet at sea and our aircraft in the sky. I am proud that my provisions will accelerate the development of American-made unmanned surface vessels, bring greater transparency to TRICARE, fight to protect pharmacy choice, expand access to childcare, and improve military nursing staff shortages. This bill delivers peace through strength for our military, for our families, and for Virginia’s Second Congressional District and Hampton Roads. Mr. Chair, I urge its passage.”