This week Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Alabama) toured local military installations, including NAS Oceana, military housing in Norfolk as well as Newport News Shipbuilding.
Rogers is chair of the House Armed Services Committee, which Kiggans also sits on.
Members of Congress are debating the next defense spending bill with a particular focus on addressing quality of life concerns.
Watch: Congresswoman Kiggans responds to veteran complaints regarding chiropractic care denials
Congresswoman Kiggans responds to veteran complaints regarding lack of chiropractic care
Kiggans is pushing for more private military housing and says she has concerns about Oceana, where less than 50-percent of on-base housing is livable.
"It's urgent," Kiggans told News 3. "We're having to send sailors out in town to live in apartments and to find housing. We just don't have enough affordable housing in Hampton Roads in general. Then, we look at prices that have skyrocketed. These guys are living on fixed incomes."
Kiggans says the House version of the defense spending bill spends an additional $5 billion on quality of life issues.
Watch: Rep. Kiggans continues questioning Hampton VA Medical Center after delayed cancer diagnosis
Rep. Kiggans continues questioning Hampton VA Medical Center after delayed cancer diagnosis
The House is expected to vote on a defense bill Friday.
Both the Senate and House will still need to reconcile their differences in the overall defense spending bill.
The House bill calls for a 19.5-percent percent raise for junior enlisted service members, but the White House is against such a large raise.
More military stories
Biden administration pardons those convicted of gay sex under old military law
Scripps News Staff
9:00 PM, Jun 25, 2024
Crews look for remnants at former Buxton Naval Base amid contamination concerns
Angela Bohon
7:43 PM, Jun 25, 2024
Senator Kaine looking into veterans not getting chiropractic care
Margaret Kavanagh
6:40 AM, Jun 25, 2024
USS Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to return home from deployment
David Lance
3:29 PM, Jun 24, 2024
Virginia Beach leaders push to bring future air defense to NAS Oceana
John Hood
12:00 AM, Jun 24, 2024
Local sailor reunites with dog she met while deployed to Africa
Ellen Ice
1:36 PM, Jun 21, 2024
Rep. Kiggans responds to veteran complaints regarding chiropractic care denials
Margaret Kavanagh
6:06 AM, Jun 21, 2024
Monarchs give Navy pilots college football experience
Marc Davis
5:26 PM, Jun 20, 2024
Comments / 0