WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) voted in favor of H.R. 8646, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027, the second of twelve Appropriations bills needed to fund the federal government for Fiscal Year 2027.

The bill targets programs and agencies that protect our nation’s food and drug supply, support America’s farmers and rural communities, and expand access to nutrition programs for low-income Americans. 

In the bill, Rep. Kiggans successfully secured Community Project Funding (CPF) for three critical Hampton Roads projects that will strengthen education, public safety, and agricultural research, including:

• $2,000,000 for Northampton County Public Schools Career and Technical Education Renovation in Eastville, VA,

• $1,000,000 for the Isle of Wight County Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department Expansion in Carrollton, VA,

• And $1,000,000 for the Plant Diagnostics Center at the Virginia Tech Tidewater Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Suffolk, VA.

“Supporting the communities that feed, protect, and power our nation starts with making smart investments at home,” said Congresswoman Kiggans. “I was proud to vote for this bill that delivers targeted enhancements for our first responders, rural communities, and academic researchers. These are the men and women that keep Virginia’s Second District moving and leading the country in innovation and economic growth.”

In addition to CPFs for VA-02, the bill fully funds:

• $101.2 billion in mandatory funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to deliver relief for working families while preserving the integrity of the program,
• $22.5 billion for the Department of Agriculture, including:
  • $8 billion for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) to ensure recipients have access to affordable food options,
  • $1.795 billion for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) to address high-priority initiatives and emerging diseases,
  • $1.226 billion for the Food Safety and Inspection Services, 
  • $3.81 billion for Rural Development programs to encourage home ownership and increase infrastructure lending and loan authority,
  • And an additional $37.9 billion for Child Nutrition programs.
• $7.1 billion for the Food and Drug Administration, including:
  • $118 million for state and local inspection activities

Finally, the bill bolsters U.S. national security and border protections by:

• Increasing funding for USDA’s Office of Homeland Security by $13.6 million,
• And improving the tracking system for foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land and adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment to monitor transactions and purchases made by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. 

Congresswoman Kiggans said, “Food security is national security. This bill helps ensure that farmers have access to nutritious food, supports our families, and strengthens protections against foreign adversaries seeking to exploit American agricultural assets. I’m proud to support this commonsense legislation that invests in our communities while protecting our nation’s interests.”

This legislation now moves to the Senate for consideration.