VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach Thursday to discuss efforts to address a shortage of health care workers in Virginia.
Kennedy and Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, hosted a roundtable discussion focused on ways to bring more people into the health care workforce.
The roundtable was not open to the media, but Kennedy and Kiggans spoke with reporters afterward.
“We’re a little bit unique here because we have such a large military population, so we have a lot of people who leave the active-duty service who want to transfer into health care,” Kiggans said. “What are we doing to make that certification process easier?”
Kennedy said Virginia faces a deficit of about 1,700 nurses and said the administration is focused in part on incentivizing health care workers to serve in rural communities.
Virginia is receiving nearly $200 million as part of those efforts, according to Kennedy.
“It is a genuine health crisis, particularly in rural areas,” Kennedy said. “It’s a priority for the president.”
Kennedy also addressed efforts to improve food options on military bases.
“We’re investing in their health. We’re investing a lot in them, and we ought to be able to feed them good food that is going to enhance their performance and keep them healthy,” Kennedy said.
Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot, was also asked about concerns over food shortages aboard ships during long deployments.
“You’re on a ship, sometimes you’re on a ship for a long time, and sometimes it’s for a long time in harm’s way, so we will feed and take care of our men and women,” Kiggans said. “I can’t guarantee you’re going to have lobster and steak every meal, but we will make sure you’re taken care of.”
The visit comes less than three weeks before Election Day as Kiggans faces Democrat Elaine Luria in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District.
When a reporter attempted to ask Kiggans about polling in the race and the Iran conflict, a staffer stopped the question.
“We’re not going to talk about that,” the staffer said. “We’re going to keep the questions on today’s topic.”
A spokesperson from Luria said in a statement, “Jen Kiggans bringing in a member of Donald Trump’s cabinet two weeks before Election Day tells you everything you need to know about who she is. Kiggans has voted with Trump 100% of the time for higher costs, devastating health care cuts, and more corruption. She puts Trump first and Virginia last every chance she gets.”
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