¶ Overview
In 2025, Randy Feenstra voted five times to protect Trump’s tariffs, including in April when he was the deciding vote to protect the tariffs from being repealed by Congress, dooming Iowans who relied on him to a trade war and rising prices. Tariffs are contributing to higher food prices and are hurting Iowa small businesses and farmers. In April 2025, Trump’s devastating tariffs cost Iowa businesses nearly $90 million.
Despite this, Randy Feenstra told Iowans to trust Trump’s team to “do their magic,” even though the U.S. stock market crashed due to Trump’s escalating global trade war.
¶ Randy Feenstra Was The Deciding Vote To Protect Trump’s Tariffs Despite The Harm They Could Cause To Iowa’s Economy
¶ Randy Feenstra Repeatedly Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
¶ September 2025: Randy Feenstra Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
September 2025: Randy Feenstra Voted Against Terminating The National Emergency That Allowed Trump To Impose A 40 Percent Tariff On Brazil. In September 2025, Randy Feenstra voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, a “motion to table the Meeks, D-N.Y., motion to discharge from the House Foreign Affairs Committee the joint resolution that would terminate the national emergency declared by President Donald Trump on July 30, 2025, which imposed an additional 40 percent tariff on certain goods imported from Brazil.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 200 to 198. [House Vote 265, 9/15/25; Congressional Quarterly, 9/15/25; Congressional Actions, H.J.Res. 117]
September 2025: Randy Feenstra Effectively Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through March 2026. In September 2025, Randy Feenstra voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the resolution [that] would allow for the tolling (the pausing of counting) of days for resolutions of inquiry from Sept. 30, 2025 through March 31, 2026. It also would provide that each day during the period from April 9, 2025, through March 31, 2026. would not constitute a calendar day for the purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act with respect to a joint resolution to terminate President Donald Trump's April 2, 2025 executive order declaring a national emergency regarding tariffs on imported goods. The resolution also would provide that during the period for March 11, 2025 through March 31, 2026, would not constitute a calendar day for purposes of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act with respect to a joint resolution terminating a national emergency executive order declared by President Trump on Feb. 1, 2025. Such an executive order concerned tariffs on many Canadian and Mexican imports and Chinese goods. The resolution also would provide that the provisions of section 202 of the National Emergencies Act would not apply through March 31, 2026 to a joint resolution terminating the national emergency.” The vote was on the rule. The House agreed to the rule by a vote of 213 to 211. [House Vote 268, 9/16/25; Congressional Quarterly, 9/16/25; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 707; Congressional Actions, H.Con. Res. 14]
- Support Was Won From GOP Holdouts Through A Promise Of A Vote Later In The Week To Shorten The Block To End In January Rather Than March. According to Politico, “GOP leaders flipped several of the Republican holdouts with a promise to add language shortening the block on tariff disapproval votes to a forthcoming measure set for approval later in the week, per two Republicans with direct knowledge of the agreement. The expiration date on the block will be reset from March 31 to the end of January, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said Tuesday. It’s likely the Supreme Court will have ruled on a challenge to Trump’s tariff-declaring powers by then.” [Politico, 9/16/25]
¶ April 2025: Randy Feenstra Cast The Deciding Vote To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
April 2025: Randy Feenstra Cast The Deciding Vote For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through September 2025. In March 2025, according to Congressional Quarterly, Randy Feenstra voted for the “adoption of the rule (H Res 313) that would provide for floor consideration of the Senate amendment to the fiscal 2025 budget resolution (H Con Res 14). The rule would provide up to one hour of debate on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the measure. It also would block the expedited consideration of joint resolutions terminating President Donald Trump’s tariff actions under the April 2 executive order by providing that each day during the period from April 9, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2025, will not constitute a calendar day under the federal law pertaining to terminating national emergencies.” The vote was on the rule. The underlying legislation was the FY 2025 budget resolution. The House agreed to the rule by a vote of 216 to 215. [House Vote 94, 4/9/25; Congressional Quarterly, 4/9/25; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 313; Congressional Actions, H.Con. Res. 14]
- Speaker Johnson Backed The Move, Claiming Trump Had “Executive Authority” And That The Tariffs Were “In The Interest Of The American People.” According to ABC News, “House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended the move, telling reporters, ‘I've made it very clear I think the president has executive authority. It's an appropriate level of authority to deal with the unfair trade practices. That's part of the role of the president is to negotiate with other countries.’ Johnson said Trump told him Tuesday night that ‘there are almost 70 countries that are [in] some stage in negotiation of more fair-trade agreement agreements with the United States. I think that is in the interest of the American people. I think that is an ‘America First’ policy that will be effective, and so we have to give them the space to do it.’” [ABC News, 4/9/25]
- The Vote Was The Second Use Of The Procedural Tactic To Block Votes On The Tariffs, The First Use Of It Being In March 2025. According to ABC News, “House Democrats, led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., moved to force a vote on Tuesday on terminating the national emergency authority and blocking Trump's sweeping tariffs. Now, that vote is unlikely to occur. This is the second time Johnson has moved to stop the legislative calendar to prevent votes on Trump's authority on tariffs. Under House rules, these votes would typically come up within 15 calendar days but now will not if the ‘rule’ passes during the vote series Wednesday afternoon.” [ABC News, 4/9/25]
¶ If One “Aye” Vote Had Switched To A “No” On House Vote 94, The Measure Would Have Failed Instead Of Passing
The Measure Considered In House Vote 94 Passed By A Vote Of 216 “Ayes” To 215 “Nos,” Which Meant If One Aye Vote Had Switched To A No Vote, The Measure Would Have Failed.
[House Vote 94, 4/9/25; Congressional Quarterly, 4/9/25; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 313; Congressional Actions, H.Con. Res. 14]
¶ April 2025: Randy Feenstra Effectively Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
April 2025: Randy Feenstra Effectively Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through September 2025. In March 2025, Randy Feenstra voted for, “motion to order the previous question (thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule (H Res 313) that would providing for floor consideration of the Senate amendment to the fiscal 2025 budget resolution (H Con Res 14). The rule would provide up to one hour of debate on a motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the measure. It also would block the expedited consideration of joint resolutions terminating President Donald Trump’s tariff actions under the April 2 executive order by providing that each day during the period from April 9, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2025, will not constitute a calendar day under the federal law pertaining to terminating national emergencies.” The vote was on the previous question. The House agreed to the rule by a vote of 217 to 212. [House Vote 93, 4/9/25; Congressional Quarterly, 4/9/25; Congressional Actions, H.Res. 313]
¶ March 2025: Randy Feenstra Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
March 2025: Randy Feenstra Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs. In March 2025, Randy Feenstra voted for, “the bill that would provide for Congressional disapproval of, and nullify, a December 2024 IRS rule related to gross proceeds reporting by brokers involved in digital asset sales. The rule imposed reporting requirements, beginning in 2027, on non-custodial barkers who participate in the decentralized digital asset market. It also required brokers to file information returns and provide payee statements reporting gross proceeds from certain digital asset sales and transactions.” The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 292 to 132. [House Vote 71, 3/11/25; Congressional Quarterly, 3/11/25; Congressional Actions, H.J. Res. 25]
- The Bill Effectively Blocked The House From Voting To Reverse Trump’s Tariffs On Mexico, Canada, And China For The Next Year. According to the New York Times, “Republican leaders on Tuesday slipped language into a procedural measure that would prevent any resolution to end the tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China from receiving a vote this year. It passed on party lines as part of a resolution that cleared the way for a vote later Tuesday on a government spending bill needed to prevent a shutdown at the end of the week.” [New York Times, 3/11/25]
- The Bill Nullified A Law That Would Allow The House And Senate To End A Disaster Declared By The President. According to the New York Times, “In this case, Republican leaders did so using a particularly unusual contortion: They essentially declared the rest of the year one long day, nullifying a law that allows the House and Senate to jointly put an end to a disaster declared by the president.” [New York Times, 3/11/25]
- The National Emergencies Act Required Consideration Of Resolutions Ending A Presidentially Declared Emergency Within Fifteen Calendar Days But Republican Leadership Included A Measure In The Bill Declaring The Rest Of The Year Did Not Constitute A Calendar Day. According to the New York Times, “The national emergency law lays out a fast-track process for Congress to consider a resolution ending a presidential emergency, requiring committee consideration within 15 calendar days after one is introduced and a floor vote within three days after that. But the language House Republicans inserted in their measure on Tuesday declared that, ‘Each day for the remainder of the 119th Congress shall not constitute a calendar day’ for the purposes of the emergency that Mr. Trump declared on Feb. 1.” [New York Times, 3/11/25]
¶ Randy Feenstra Supported Trump’s Devastating Tariffs, Even Though The Stock Market Crashed And The Tariffs Were Hurting Iowa Small Businesses And Farmers
¶ Randy Feenstra Praised Trump’s Trade Policies And Told Iowans To Trust Trump’s Team To “Do Their Magic”
2025: Feenstra Promoted Trump’s Trade Policies, Said Trump “Loved The Farmers,” And Told Iowa To Trust Trump’s Team To “Do Their Magic” And Reopen Markets. According to Feenstra’s interview on The Fox News Rundown, “Well, I'll just say this Trump loves the farmers and we just got to give him time. I mean, there's a lot of things there's a lot of export markets that he's already created, which is incredible. I mean, Japan, $8 billion of new AG exports, Taiwan, Vietnam, the U.K.. And yes, we'd love to do business with China, but we have to also make sure that their unfair trade practices over the last decades get called out and don't happen again. I mean, we needed checks and balances. And, you know, we'd love to have China buy our soybeans, but on the same breath, we want it fair and equitable. And for us, it's all about how can we open other markets like India, South Africa and other places? I mean, there's a lot of opportunity out there. I just simply say let Trump and his is the trade and trade group work and do their magic.” [Randy Feenstra Interview –The Fox News Rundown, 10/16/25] (AUDIO)
April 2-4, 2025: The U.S. Stock Market Crashed As Trump’s Tariffs “Escalated A Global Trade War And Wiped Out Trillions Of Dollars In Value.” According to NPR, “Wall Street plummeted for a second straight day on Friday, as President Trump's tariffs escalated a global trade war and wiped out trillions of dollars in value from the U.S. stock market. The two-day selloff served as the financial community's most brutal warning yet about the potential fallout of Trump's trade policy. Investors, businesses, and consumers are all expressing mounting terror about how these sweeping new taxes could upend the global economy.” [NPR, 4/4/25]
¶ Trump’s Tariffs Were Hurting Small Businesses And Farmers In Iowa
HEADLINE: “Grocery Inflation Highest Since 2022 As Trump Tariffs Pile Up” [Axios, 9/16/25]
HEADLINE: “Tariffs Cost Iowa Businesses $90M In April, New Report Says, A 304% Hike From 2024” [Iowa City Press-Citizen, 6/18/25]
Iowa Farmers For Free Trade: April 2025: Trump’s Tariffs Triggered A 304% Surge In Iowa Tariffs And Added Nearly $90 Million In New Expenses That Would Hurt Iowa Farmers And Businesses. According to the Iowa City Press-Citizen, “Tariffs are having a sweeping impact on Iowa's economy, costing importers $90 million in April, a 304% increase from the year prior, according to new research. The data was released by Iowa Farmers for Free Trade and aggregated by Tarifflation during a roundtable event on Tuesday, June 17, at the Cedar Ridge Distillery in Swisher. Iowa has the 11th highest change in the amount of tariffs paid between April 2024 and 2025. The report attributed the increase to President Donald Trump's ever-evolving tariff policies, with approximately $80 million from ‘executive actions.’ Import tariff costs from measures approved by the legislature have remained largely unchanged over the past year. The new data may not even capture the full impact on Iowa's economy since the Trump administration has paused the worldwide ‘reciprocal tariffs’ through mid-July. If those tariffs take effect, the report said, there could be ‘major consequences for Iowa businesses with extensive trade relationships around the world.’” [Iowa City Press-Citizen, 6/18/25]
- Drake University Professor Dr. Thomas Root: Trump’s Tariffs Hurt Iowa Farmers And Delayed Key Agricultural Investments That Supported Local Economies. According to KCRG, “Drake University Professor Dr. Thomas Root said Iowa’s economy feels tariff changes more intensely than other states. He said the state’s economy relies so heavily on agriculture that any hits to farmers create widespread effects. ‘It doesn’t just hurt the farmer. The farmer then puts off doing things like buying new equipment. They put off doing things that are going to help their local economy in terms of spending and things like that. And so it spills over to the rest of the local economy in that lost income,’ Root said.” [KCRG, 11/14/25]
2025: Tariffs Raised Prices On Imported Goods And Increased Costs For Iowa Small Businesses, Including Simply Nourished Market & Mercantile In Mason City. According to MPR News, “Melissa Fabian opened Simply Nourished Market & Mercantile four years ago in Mason City, Iowa. Shoppers can find organic produce and grass-fed lamb from nearby farms and bakeware made across the border in Minnesota at the brick-and-mortar shop. ‘We are built upon the backbone of supporting local first,’ Fabian said. ‘So, when you walk into our store, you're really going to see a variety of Iowa and Midwest products.’ […] ‘We are paying for the cost of getting the goods to us, and so that has to be reflected in the price of our goods,’ she said. Though imports are a smaller slice of her inventory, Fabian said tariffs spiked prices for olive oil, coffee and some of the kitchenware she sells.” [MPR News, 11/29/25]
- November 2025: 56% Of Iowa Small Businesses Reported Net Profit Losses. According to MPR News, “A national survey from nonprofit Main Street America found that 45 percent of the nearly 1,300 small business owners who responded experienced a drop in net profit this fall. ‘In Iowa, just one example, those numbers were more severe,’ said Michael Powe, senior director of research at Main Street America. ‘Fifty-six percent had a net profit decrease.’ Around two-thirds of the survey respondents in Iowa and the U.S. at large were from rural areas, Powe said. Over 60 percent said they were in the retail and food and beverage sectors.” [MPR News, 11/29/25]