VIRGINIA BEACH, VA — 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’s veterans and ensuring their voices are heard at the highest levels of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Congresswoman Kiggans and Secretary Collins started the visit with a stop at Be Free Craft Café, 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.

Following 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.

Congresswoman Kiggans said, “As 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’m 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.”

Congresswoman 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’ Affairs and chairs the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Since coming to Congress, she has worked to improve veterans’ healthcare, strengthen accountability at the VA, and ensure veterans receive the benefits and services they have earned.

Background:

In 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. 

In May 2026, Rep. Kiggans’ bill, the Veteran Infection Prevention (VIP) Act passed out of the House Veterans’ 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.

In 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’s more than 76,000 veterans. Read her press release here.

In September 2025, Rep. Kiggans’ bill, the VA Hospital Inventory Management System Authorization Act, passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support. The bill establishes an information technology system to better manage medical inventory and improve patient timely access to lifesaving medical devices. Read her press release following the bill’s introduction here.