{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://kiggans.house.gov/2026/09/24/kiggans-hosts-va-secretary-doug-collins-for-veterans-roundtable-in-virginia-beach/", "Kiggans Hosts VA Secretary Doug Collins for Veterans Roundtable in Virginia Beach", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "VA", "Jennifer A. Kiggans", "K000399", "kiggans.house.gov", "kiggans", "https://kiggans.house.gov/feed/", "scraper", "VIRGINIA BEACH, VA \u2014 Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) welcomed U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins to Virginia Beach last week for a visit focused on supporting Coastal Virginia\u2019s veterans and ensuring their voices are heard at the highest levels of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).\n\nCongresswoman Kiggans and Secretary Collins started the visit with a stop at Be Free Craft Caf\u00e9, a veteran-owned small business founded by retired Navy SEAL Christopher Fettes. Fettes served with the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU) before opening the artisan ice-cream shop in Virginia Beach.\n\nFollowing the visit, Secretary Collins and Congresswoman Kiggans traveled to the Jones & Cabacoy Veterans Care Center for a roundtable with local veterans and community stakeholders. The discussion provided participants with an opportunity to speak directly with VA leadership about the care, benefits, and services veterans rely on and ways the Department can continue improving access to quality, timely care.\n\nCongresswoman Kiggans said, \u201cAs a Navy veteran, I know how important it is that the VA listens directly to the men and women it serves. I was proud to welcome Secretary Collins to Virginia Beach to hear firsthand from our local veterans about their experiences and the issues that matter most to them. I\u2019m grateful to Secretary Collins for taking the time to visit Hampton Roads, and I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure every veteran receives the quality care, benefits, and services they have earned through their service to our nation.\u201d\n\nCongresswoman Kiggans is a Navy veteran, the wife of a Navy veteran, and the mother of a future Navy veteran. Kiggans also serves on the House Committee on Veterans\u2019 Affairs and chairs the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Since coming to Congress, she has worked to improve veterans\u2019 healthcare, strengthen accountability at the VA, and ensure veterans receive the benefits and services they have earned.\n\nBackground:\n\nIn May 2026, Rep. Kiggans voted for H.R. 8469, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027, which included $450.29 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Read her press release here.\n\nIn May 2026, Rep. Kiggans\u2019 bill, the Veteran Infection Prevention (VIP) Act passed out of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee following a markup. This bill would require all Sterile Processing Technicians (SPTs) to receive certification from an accredited institution in cleaning medical equipment to work at a VA Medical Center. Read her press release here.\n\nIn July 2025, Rep. Kiggans helped secure nearly $80 million for the construction of a new Community-Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Hampton Roads. The project represented a major federal investment to expand access to healthcare, counseling, and benefits for the region\u2019s more than 76,000 veterans. Read her press release here.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://kiggans.house.gov/2026/09/24/kiggans-hosts-va-secretary-doug-collins-for-veterans-roundtable-in-virginia-beach/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.1710400469601154, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}