Kiggans’ Bill to Ensure Proper Lifeguard Staffing on Public Beaches Passes the House with Bipartisan Support

Kiggans’ Bill to Ensure Proper Lifeguard Staffing on Public Beaches Passes the House with Bipartisan Support September 14, 2026 | Press Releases WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) announced the House passage of her bill, H.R. 5063, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act , which passed the House by voice. This bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to work with local governments to ensure there is proper lifeguard coverage in the event of a lifeguard shortage. Congresswoman Kiggans said , “As the representative of a coastal district, keeping our beaches safe for the families who live here and the millions of people who visit them every year is incredibly important to me. Last summer, communities on Virginia’s Eastern Shore were forced to step up when a federal lifeguard shortage left Chincoteague without the assurance our families deserve. Our local leaders did the right thing, but they should never be left scrambling to solve a federal staffing problem or pay the bill to keep a federal beach safe. “The Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act provides a commonsense solution by allowing the Department of the Interior to partner with local governments when lifeguard shortages occur and ensuring those communities are reimbursed for the costs they take on. I’m incredibly proud to see this bipartisan bill pass the House today, and I want to thank Mayor Denise Bowden and our local leaders on the Eastern Shore for working with us to turn a challenge we experienced at home into a solution that can help keep families safe at federal beaches across the country.” “Families visiting America’s vast federal beaches and swimming areas should be able to count on properly staffed shores. H.R. 5063 allows the Department of the Interior to partner with local governments during lifeguard shortages and guarantees those communities are reimbursed for the costs they incur, ensuring federal responsibilities are not shifted to local taxpayers. I commend Rep. Kiggans for developing a practical solution that strengthens visitor safety and supports the coastal communities in Virginia welcoming millions of Americans each year,” said Chairman Bruce Westerman . Watch Rep. Kiggans’ speech from the House Floor here . Read Rep. Kiggans’ remarks from the House Floor prior to the bill’s passage as prepared for delivery: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5063, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act. I have the privilege of representing a district that lives on the beach and the Bay. For families across Coastal Virginia, and the millions of Americans who visit our federal beaches every year, water safety is incredibly important. Last year, we saw firsthand what can happen when the federal government fails to adequately staff these beaches. Following a federal hiring freeze, Assateague Island National Seashore was unable to provide its normal lifeguard coverage at the federal beach in Chincoteague, Virginia. Families continued visiting and swimming, but the lifeguards they had come to rely on were not there. Our local leaders stepped up. The Town of Chincoteague and Accomack County took on unforeseen costs to make sure lifeguards returned to the beach and families could safely enjoy the water. But our local governments should never be left scrambling to solve a federal staffing problem on their own. That is why I introduced the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act. My bill provides a commonsense solution. When the Department of the Interior determines that a federal swimming area is facing a lifeguard staffing shortage, it can partner with local governments to provide the necessary coverage. And importantly, when a local government steps up to provide those lifeguards, the federal government will reimburse it for the reasonable costs it incurs. This applies to designated swimming areas managed by the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Bureau of Reclamation that are normally monitored by federal lifeguards. Mr. Speaker, this bill is about public safety, accountability, and giving our communities a solution when Washington falls short. I am grateful to the local leaders on the Eastern Shore who worked with us after seeing this problem firsthand, and I am proud that we now have an opportunity to make sure communities across the country have another tool to keep their beaches safe. No family visiting a federal beach should have to wonder whether a lifeguard will be there when an emergency happens. I urge my colleagues to support the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act, and I yield back. The Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act now moves to the Senate for consideration. Background: In June 2025, Congresswoman Kiggans questioned Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum in the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding recent federal hiring freezes and whether temporary hires, including lifeguards, would receive an exemption. Watch the Congresswoman’s questioning here and coverage from Shore Daily News here . Following the hearing, Congresswoman Kiggans sent a letter to Secretary Burgum reaffirming concern for the federal hiring freeze and its impact on the lifeguard shortage. Read her letter here . In September 2025, Rep. Kiggans introduced the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act in response to lifeguard shortages on Chincoteague Island and across the Eastern Shore of Virginia in the Summer of 2025. Read her press release here . Watch Rep. Kiggans’ interview with CBS News following the bill’s introduction here . In July 2026, the Safe Beaches, Safe Swimmers Act , advanced out of the House Committee on Natural Resources following markup. Read Rep. Kiggans’ press release here .