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Virginian Pilot: “[Kiggans] has shattered the promises she made to those of us who answered the call to defend this great nation. And make no mistake, this is not merely a matter of political disagreement; it is a betrayal of the highest order; it is a dereliction of duty”
The Virginian Pilot published a piece by U.S. Air Force Veteran Sean Monteiro chronicling Jen Kiggan’s numerous betrayals of our nation’s veterans.
Kiggans rarely misses a chance to “loudly proclaim her support for veterans and their families.” However, even a cursory look at her voting record reveals a mile-long list of VA program funding cuts that threaten “irreparable harm” to veterans and their families.
As Monteiro wrote, “it is disheartening to see someone who once swore the same oath turn her back on the very constituency she should be staunchly defending.”
DCCC Spokesperson Lauryn Fanguen:
“Programs like VA job training, housing assistance, and community mental health services are critical lifelines for veterans. Yet Jen Kiggans continuously chooses to gut these programs at every turn, turning her back on veterans to please greedy, corporate special interests. Her actions speak far louder than her empty words.”
Virginian Pilot: U.S. Rep. Kiggans has abandoned her post
Sean Monteiro | December 25, 2023
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In Congress, where decisions are made that echo through the lives of every American, an unsettling truth persists: Those of us who have served, bled and sacrificed for this nation often find ourselves betrayed by the very leaders who should be our strongest allies.
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Here in Virginia Beach, a community built on a legacy of service and home to one of the largest veteran populations in the nation, our congresswoman, Jen Kiggans, loudly proclaims her support for veterans and their families. But in Washington, she has quietly fought for the wealthy and corporate special interests by voting for funding cuts that threaten to inflict irreparable harm on families such as mine.
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As a fellow veteran, I would think Kiggans is acutely aware of the challenges we face upon returning to civilian life. So it is disheartening to see someone who once swore the same oath turn her back on the very constituency she should be staunchly defending. And for what end?
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Every veteran knows the vital importance of accessible and quality health care, especially when it comes to addressing the unique challenges we face after our service. Nevertheless, Kiggans voted to cut funding for the Veterans Health Administration, which could lead to veterans having access to 30 million fewer outpatient visits and 81,000 jobs lost across the VHA. These cuts could mean even longer wait times, and fewer veterans receiving the vital care they need and have earned.
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Kiggans is well aware that veterans grappling with the invisible wounds of war need access to more support, not fewer available appointments and longer waits. Yet she also voted to slash funding for community mental health services and substance use prevention grants. Meaning fewer veterans would have access to critical mental health support, which so often means the difference between life and death.
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Despite veterans facing soaring levels of housing and food insecurity, Kiggans voted to put 50,000 veterans at a greater risk of losing the roofs over their heads by slashing funding for housing assistance. Her vote would also cut funding that makes food accessible for 1.3 million food-insecure veterans, increasing the likelihood that they and their families could go hungry.
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Even vulnerable veterans trying to get back on their feet are not spared from Kiggans’ cruel indifference. In Washington, she voted to cut job training, counseling and housing programs for veterans experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
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Kiggans can continue to make the claim, as she has repeatedly, that she stands with veterans, but her word means nothing until she stops voting for these harmful cuts. She has shattered the promises she made to those of us who answered the call to defend this great nation. And make no mistake, this is not merely a matter of political disagreement; it is a betrayal of the highest order; it is a dereliction of duty.
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Veterans deserve more than empty rhetoric. We deserve unwavering advocacy and support from those who have walked the same path. We deserve representatives who understand the gravity of their decisions and who, in the face of conflicting interests, choose the path that upholds the sacred commitment to those who have borne the burdens of duty.
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The wounds of Kiggans’ betrayal run deep, but it is never too late to mend the bonds that have been strained. It is my sincere hope that moving forward, she will reconsider her stance and remember the solemn obligation she bears to the men and women who all stood ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation’s freedom.
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Sean Monteiro of Virginia Beach is a U.S. Air Force veteran and a volunteer for Affordable Virginia.
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