Kiggans Votes to Prevent Government Shutdown, Provide Critical Funds for Farmers, Defense Industrial base

WASHINGTON, DC: Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) released the below statement following the U.S. House of Representatives passage of H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act. This legislation extends government funding through March 14, 2025, and provides much-needed assistance to help American farmers and communities affected by recent natural disasters. 

“From day one I have been committed to doing whatever I can to avoid a government shutdown and ensure our troops get paid no matter how bad Washington’s dysfunction gets. While the process to get here was unbelievably frustrating, I am relieved Congress found a bipartisan path forward tonight to keep the government open and accountable to the American people,” said Congresswoman Kiggans.

“I was proud to vote for tonight’s temporary funding bill to prevent a disastrous shutdown, but I share the concerns of those at home in Virginia and around the country who understand our military needs stability,” continued Kiggans. “A lack of long-term defense funding delays missions, undermines readiness, and inflicts unnecessary disruptions on our military infrastructure projects. As we work to return to regular order and passing full-year appropriations bills, I fought hard to ensure this temporary funding bill included critical support for our defense industrial base that will help provide job stability for workers in Hampton Roads. 

“We are all tired of political games in Washington that cause last-minute scrambles just to keep the lights on. Congress can – and should – institute commonsense spending reforms without weakening our national security and costing the taxpayers billions of dollars with a government shutdown. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle next Congress to restore fiscal responsibility and prioritize the needs of Virginia’s Second District.”

Specifically, this legislation:

• Funds the government at current discretionary spending levels through March 14, 2025.
• Provides $5.69 billion for the submarine industrial base, including wage increases at the shipyards and various infrastructure improvements in order to support the construction of the Virginia-class submarines. The bill also supports funding for the advanced procurement for the Columbia-class submarine.
• Provides $10 billion in economic assistance to farmers dealing with crop loss, government overregulation, and market forces outside of their control.
• Provides $100 billion in supplemental emergency spending to aid states affected by natural disasters, including Virginia.
• Extends expiring health care programs through March 31, 2025, fully offset by a reduction in the Medicare Improvement Fund. Includes the following programs:

• Community Health Centers and other public health programs.
• Medicare add-on payments for ambulances, certain low-volume and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and rural providers.
• Medicare telehealth flexibilities.
• Delay of scheduled Obamacare cuts to Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH).
• DEA scheduling authority for fentanyl-related substances.

• Extends current farm bill programs through September 30, 2025.
• Provides $1.6 billion in military construction for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force to replace infrastructure, housing, and other Department of Defense facilities damaged during Typhoon Mawar.
• Provides an additional $3 billion to repair storm damage at Department of Defense installations resulting from hurricanes, typhoons and other severe weather, including the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia.
• Extends the National Flood Insurance Program through March 14, 2025.
• Authorizes an increase from 90% to 100% federal cost-sharing for repairs to the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, MD.
• Resets the PAYGO scorecard to prevent automatic cuts to Medicare, defense, agriculture, and other mandatory programs from taking effect in January.

The full bill text of the bill is available here.

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