Wallops spared cuts by Congressional Appropriations Committee

This article has been edited to expressly state the restored funding is at the Congressional Committee level.

Keith Misener photograph.

Congresswoman Jen Kiggans confirmed that NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility has been fully funded in the House Appropriations Committee’s budget in the upcoming fiscal year, following bipartisan efforts in Congress to restore funding levels originally targeted for reduction.

Speaking in an interview with ShoreDailyNews.com, Kiggans said the administration’s proposed cuts to Wallops were met with strong resistance from the Virginia delegation. “We were surprised and not happy about that and then pushed back,” she said, noting that a bipartisan letter from nearly all of Virginia’s congressional members was sent to the House Appropriations Committee. “The good news is that funding has been restored… to fiscal year 2025 levels.”

Kiggans emphasized Wallops’ importance to national security and technological advancement. She also noted that while she does not serve on the Appropriations Committee, both House and Senate lawmakers are in agreement about preserving funding for Wallops, and a final vote is expected before the end of the fiscal year.

Kiggans also addressed recent concerns about the lack of lifeguards at Assateague Island beaches, confirming that guards have been hired and began training this week. Their first official day on duty was scheduled for Thursday, July 17.

After learning of the staffing issue, Kiggans said her office contacted the Secretary of the Interior and the National Park Service. “Lifeguards should have been exempt from any type of federal hiring freeze,” she said. The National Park Service has now agreed to fund the majority of the $90,000 cost, with Accomack County covering a temporary shortfall of $17,000. Kiggans said her office is working to ensure the county is reimbursed and that the issue does not repeat next summer.

On the national level, Kiggans detailed the recent passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) out of committee. The legislation includes a 3.8% pay raise for service members, investments in housing and child care, and funding for shipbuilding and repairs in Hampton Roads. Kiggans, a Navy veteran and member of the Armed Services Committee, called the legislation “a big win” for military families and the region’s defense economy.

She also highlighted the passage of what she referred to as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” which extends the 2017 Trump-era tax cuts and introduces new tax relief measures for working families. The bill eliminates taxes on overtime and tips, increases the standard deduction and child tax credit, and includes reforms to strengthen Medicaid by reducing waste and fraud.

Kiggans concluded by noting that her office will focus next on the broader federal budget process and that she looks forward to spending more time in the district during the August recess. She encouraged constituents to reach out via her congressional website or local offices in Onley, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk.