¶ Overview
Kiggans promised to protect clean energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act, touting that they “drive billions of dollars of investment” and were “actively helping out armed forces, small businesses, and everyday families,” before voting multiple times to gut the exact same credits. After each vote, she played down the impact of the cuts while simultaneously pleading with Republican leadership to scale back the cuts that threatened thousands of clean energy jobs across Virginia.
This wasn’t her first time threatening clean energy jobs in Virginia, either. During her first term in office, Kiggans voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act, which sought to reset the clean energy tax code to before passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. At the time, Kiggans said she was “proud” to support the bill.
¶ Kiggans Broke Her Promise To Protect Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits
¶ 2024-2025: Kiggans Promised to Defend Clean Energy Tax Credits Created by The Inflation Reduction Act
Kiggans Claimed Repealing Clean Energy Tax Credits Would Have A “Detrimental” Effect On Her Constituents
August 2024: Kiggans Signed A Letter To Speaker Johnson Urging Him To Not To Repeal Clean Energy Tax Credits Created By The Inflation Reduction Act. According to The Hill, "More than a dozen House Republicans wrote to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday asking him not to axe clean energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) if the GOP maintains or expands its House majority next year. […] In addition to Garbarino, the letter was signed by GOP Reps. David Valadao (Calif.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.), Marc Molinaro (N.Y.), Erin Houchin (Ind.), Anthony D’Esposito (N.Y.), Mike Lawler (N.Y.), Nick LaLota (N.Y.), Young Kim (Calif.), Jen Kiggans (Va.), John Curtis (Utah), Don Bacon (Neb.), Tom Kean Jr. (N.J.), Dave Joyce (Ohio), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa), Juan Ciscomani (Ariz.), Mark Amodei (Nev.) and Buddy Carter (Ga.)." [Hill, 8/7/24]
- The Letter Said The Clean Energy Tax Credits Provided Good Jobs And Incentivized Investment. According to The Hill, "‘Energy tax credits have spurred innovation, incentivized investment, and created good jobs in many parts of the country – including many districts represented by members of our conference,’ they wrote. ‘We must reverse the policies which harm American families while protecting and refining those that are making our country more energy independent and Americans more energy secure. As Republicans, we support an all-of-the-above approach to energy development and tax credits that incentivize domestic production, innovation, and delivery from all sources.’" [Hill, 8/7/24]
January 2025: Kiggans Said She Supported Clean Energy Tax Credits From The Inflation Reduction Act And Offshore Wind Energy. According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, "One of the politicians supportive of the industry is Rep. Jen Kiggans, a Virginia Beach Republican. In 2024, she was one of 18 House Republicans who wrote a letter to Speaker Mike Johnson, urging him to preserve clean energy tax credits from the IRA law. In an emailed statement, she expressed support for both the tax credits and offshore wind energy. ‘These tax incentives drive billions of dollars of investment in our domestic manufacturing and jobs, reduce our reliance on foreign adversaries and save money for American families — including those in Virginia,’ Kiggans said. ‘I have been proud to support offshore wind in Hampton Roads because of the great economic gains and job growth it has brought to our district.’" [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 1/13/25]
March 2025: Kiggans Signed A Letter Urging House Republican Leadership Not To Repeal Clean Energy Tax Credits In The Reconciliation Process. According to a letter led by Rep. Andrew Garbarino, "As Members of the House Republican Conference, we write to emphasize the importance of prioritizing energy affordability for American families and keeping on our current path to energy dominance amid efforts to repeal or reform current energy tax credits. We strongly support the Administration’s America First national energy dominance initiative. Continued energy expansion and innovation is necessary to bolster national security, create goodpaying American jobs, and guarantee energy independence. The United States continues to produce energy from a myriad of sources that are cleaner and more efficient than anywhere else in the world. As our conference has long believed, an all-of-the-above energy approach, combined with a robust advanced manufacturing sector, will help support the United States’ position as a global energy leader." [Letter – Rep. Andrew Garbarino, 3/9/25]
March 2025: Kiggans Claimed The Inflation Reduction Act’s Clean Energy Tax Credits Were “Actively Helping Our Armed Forces, Small Businesses, And Everyday Families.” According to Politico, "The growing pushback against eliminating the IRA’s hundreds of billions of dollars in tax credits and other incentives — which have largely benefited GOP-controlled districts — will complicate efforts by House Republicans to slash federal outlays without shrinking Medicaid spending as they seek to offset the tax cuts in their budget bill. […] Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), whose district has received funding for offshore wind developments, said the funding was important to increase energy security. ‘America cannot afford to turn a blind eye to how existing clean energy tax credits are actively helping our Armed Forces, small businesses, and everyday families,’ she said in a statement. ‘I am proud to stand with my colleagues to advocate for an all-of-the-above approach that protects these critical tax credits and spurs innovation.’" [Politico, 3/10/25]
Kiggans Led An Effort To Urge The U.S. House Ways And Means Committee To Change The Phase-Out Plan For Clean Energy Tax Credits. According to Politico E&E News, "Twelve House Republicans are urging congressional leaders to consider ‘three thoughtful changes’ to legislation that would repeal or scale back a host of tax incentives from the Democrats’ 2022 climate law. […] Led by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), the Republicans said the tax bill included some ‘reasonable phase-out schedules’ but that changes would ensure ‘certainty for current and future energy investments to meet the nation’s growing power demand and protect our constituents from higher energy costs.’ Specifically, their three suggestions include revising a foreign entity of concern provision to give companies more time to reorganize their supply chains, tweaking standards for when companies qualify for credits and keeping the practice of ‘transferability’ through 2031, when certain incentives would sunset. Transferability allows project sponsors to transfer credits to a third party to reduce their tax burden." [Politico E&E News, 5/15/25]
- Kiggans Requested A Meeting With U.S. House Speaker Johnson To Discuss Easing Changes To Clean Energy Tax Credits, But Does Not Appear To Have Been Granted One. According to Politico E&E News, "Last week, Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), who represents a toss-up district that also is host to a massive offshore wind project, approached Johnson on the House floor to request a meeting seeking changes that would ease the blow to renewable industry tax credits. There’s no indication the meeting has happened; Johnson’s office did not return requests for comment." [Politico E&E News, 5/19/25]
¶ May 2025: Kiggans Voted For The House Republican Budget Bill That Gutted Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits
5/22/25: Kiggans Voted For The FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill. In May 2025, Kiggans voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the bill that would provide for approximately $3.8 trillion in net tax cuts and $321 billion in military, border enforcement and judiciary spending, offset by $1.5 trillion in spending reductions, as instructed in the fiscal 2025 budget resolution. It would raise the statutory debt limit by $4 trillion and provide for increased spending on defense and border security, spending cuts on social safety net programs, such as Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It also includes a mix of tax breaks for businesses and individuals; tax increases on universities and foundations; and a phase-down of clean energy tax credits. […] It would reduce federal spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by requiring states to shoulder more of the cost, expand work requirements for SNAP, extend programs authorized under the 2018 farm bill, and prohibit the U.S. Department of Agriculture from increasing the cost of the Thrifty Food Program. As amended, it would cap state and local tax deductions at $40,000 for households with incomes below $500,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 215 to 214. [House Vote 145, 5/22/25; Congressional Quarterly, 5/22/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
- The Bill Accelerated The Phase Out Of Clean Energy Tax Credits And Required Construction Of Non-Nuclear Energy To Start Within 60 Days Of The Bill’s Signing To Claim A Tax Credit And By 2028 For Nuclear Energy. According to CNN, “In last-minute changes, Republicans sped up the timelines for phasing out key clean energy tax credits to the end of 2028. They also put in a new, narrow set of requirements for energy companies building solar, wind, battery or geothermal to generate electricity, only allowing companies to recoup the credit if they started construction within a 60-day window after the bill was signed into law, and their power was in service by the end of 2028. Analysts have also said the move will increase Americans’ electricity bills, since it would prevent cheaper wind, solar and batteries from getting on the grid at the same time power-hungry data centers and AI are coming online. The only carve-out was for nuclear energy, a form of clean energy touted by Trump and Republicans that is much more expensive and time-intensive to build than solar and wind. Nuclear companies could claim a tax break if they started construction by 2028. The package also claws back unspent IRA funds, targeting a $27 billion grant program at the Environmental Protection Agency and other EPA and Energy Department programs.” [CNN, 5/28/25]
¶ Kiggans Touted Her Vote for The House Republican Budget Bill
While Touting Her Vote For The House Reconciliation Bill, Kiggans Admitted It “Abruptly Ends” Clean Energy Tax Credits And Jeopardized Jobs In VA-02. According to a press release from Rep. Jen Kiggans, "Last November, Americans voted for change—and this bill delivers that change. It reflects the priorities of the 119th Congress: reducing the size of government, cutting wasteful spending, and protecting tax relief for working families. […] While I’m encouraged that the bill preserves support for advanced nuclear energy — a key pillar of our clean energy future — I remain deeply concerned about other shortsighted provisions. Rather than responsibly phasing out clean electricity incentives, the bill abruptly ends support after 2028 and eliminates tax credits for leased systems often used by schools, local governments, and homeowners. These changes jeopardize local jobs, limit community access to affordable energy, and undercut innovation — especially in regions like ours, where energy resilience and national defense go hand in hand." [Press Release – Rep. Jen Kiggans, 5/22/25]
- Kiggans Claimed Changes To Clean Energy Tax Credits Under The House Reconciliation Bill Were A “Compromise.” According to Politico E&E News, "The legislation would now enact even steeper restrictions on Inflation Reduction Act tax incentives, including quicker phase downs of ‘technology neutral’ production and investment credits. […] Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), however, called the changes a ‘compromise.’ She had previously looked to the Senate to help protect some of the climate law credits." [Politico E&E News, 5/22/25]
¶ June 2025: After Voting To Cut Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits, Kiggans Led A Letter Asking Senate Republicans To Scale Back The Same Cuts She Voted For
HEADLINE: "Moderate Republicans Are ‘Deeply Concerned’ About Provisions In The Reconciliation Bill They Voted For" [NOTUS, 6/6/25]
HEADLINE: "Kiggans And Wittman Voted To Gut Clean Energy Tax Credits That Are Currently Bringing $18.2 Billion In Investment And Almost 11,000 Jobs To Virginia”" [Blue Virginia, 6/4/25]
June 2025: Kiggans Led A Letter Urging Senate Republicans To Scale Back Cuts To Clean Energy Tax Credits In The House GOP Budget Bill, Which She Voted For. According to NBC News, "Thirteen House Republicans who supported President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ sent a letter Friday urging Senate GOP leaders to scale back some of its clean energy cuts, sparking pushback from conservative hard-liners. The unusual criticism of their own bill indicates a modicum of regret by the GOP lawmakers, whose votes were critical to the bill passing the House by a narrow margin last month. ‘While we were proud to have worked to ensure that the bill did not include a full repeal of the clean energy tax credits, we remain deeply concerned by several provisions,’ said the Republicans in the letter, led by Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va." [NBC News, 6/6/25]
- Kiggans And Her 12 GOP Colleagues Claimed The House GOP Budget Bill, That They Voted For, “Includes A Phase Out Schedule For Credits That Would Cause Significant Disruption To Projects Under Development And Stop Investments Needed To Win The Global Energy Race.” According to NBC News, "Kiggans, like most of the signatories, represents a competitive district that Democrats are targeting in the 2026 election. Other politically vulnerable members include: Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.; Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz.; Mike Lawler, R-N.Y.; Don Bacon, R-Neb.; Gabe Evans, R-Colo.; Young Kim, R-Calif.; David Valadao, R-Calif.; Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa.; and Tom Kean, R-N.J. The remaining three, who hold comparably safer seats, are Reps. Mark Amodei, R-Nev.; Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y.; and Nick LaLota, R-N.Y. Garbarino missed the vote, but praised the bill and said he was about to vote ‘yes’ and didn’t make it in time. It passed 215-214 in an early morning vote. The 13 Republicans warned that ‘the House-passed bill includes a phase out schedule for credits that would cause significant disruption to projects under development and stop investments needed to win the global energy race.’" [NBC News, 6/6/25]
- Kiggans: “Reliable, Affordable Energy Powers America—And The People Who Make It Happen Deserve Certainty. I Joined My Colleagues In Urging The Senate To Address The Clean Energy Tax Credit Provisions That Threaten $14B In Projects And American Jobs.” According to a post on Rep. Jen Kiggans’ Twitter, "Reliable, affordable energy powers America—and the people who make it happen deserve certainty. I joined my colleagues in urging the Senate to address the clean energy tax credit provisions that threaten $14B in projects and American jobs. Read the letter here: https://d12t4t5x3vyizu.cloudfront.net/kiggans.house.gov/uploads/2025/06/CETC-Letter-to-Senate.pdf" [Twitter, @RepJenKiggans, 6/6/25]
¶ July 2025: Kiggans Voted For The Final Republican Reconciliation Bill, Which Gutted And Repealed Certain Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits
July 2025: Kiggans Voted For The Senate FY 2025 Budget Reconciliation Bill That Extended $4 Trillion In Expiring Tax Cuts, Added New Tax Breaks, Appropriated $448 Billion In Defense, Border, And Immigration Enforcement Funding, Increased The SALT Deduction To $40,000, And Cut Medicaid And Other Social Programs To Offset The Costs. In July 2025, Kiggans voted for, according to Congressional Quarterly, the “motion to concur in the Senate amendment to the bill that would permanently extend nearly $4 trillion in expiring individual and business tax cuts, create several new tax breaks and fund border and immigration enforcement and air traffic control upgrades. It would cut Medicaid and other safety net programs to partly offset the cost. Among other provisions, it would raise the statutory debt ceiling by $5 trillion and appropriate more than $448 billion in mandatory funding for Trump administration priorities and other needs, including $153 billion for defense, $89 billion for immigration enforcement, and $89.5 billion for border control and security. It also would increase the state and local tax deduction cap to $40,000 annually for five years for households making up to $500,000 a year until 2030, when it would permanently revert to $10,000.” The House passed the bill by a vote of 218 to 214. [House Vote 190, 7/3/25; Congressional Quarterly, 7/3/25; Congressional Actions, H.R. 1]
- HEADLINE: "Trump Signs Budget Bill Slashing Clean Energy Tax Credits" [Utility Dive, 7/3/25]
- The Republican Reconciliation Bill Restricted The Ability Of Projects To Qualify For Certain Clean Energy Tax Credits And Repealed Electric Vehicle Tax Credits. According to Utility Dive, "The bill restricts the ability of projects to qualify for the tech-neutral clean electricity 45Y production tax credit and 48E investment tax credit, shortens the timeline for those credits, and ends the 25D residential solar credit after this year. The 25E, 30D, 30C and 45W electric vehicle credits will terminate after Sept. 30. While clean energy advocates and congressional Democrats maintain that the final version of the bill goes too far in slashing IRA credits, some Republicans wanted to see more significant cuts." [Utility Dive, 7/3/25]
- The Final Republican Reconciliation Bill Allowed Projects To Avoid A Requirement That They Be In Service By 2027 To Qualify For Certain Credits If They Began Construction Within A Year Of The Bill Being Signed. According to Utility Dive, "Before the House Freedom Caucus reached an agreement with House leadership to vote in favor of the bill, the caucus circulated a memo that criticized the Senate’s version of the bill for offering an exemption from the House’s onerous requirement that clean energy projects be placed in service by 2027 to qualify for the 45Y and 48E credits. The Senate version allows projects to avoid this requirement if they begin construction within a year after the bill is signed into law." [Utility Dive, 7/3/25]
¶ Thousands Of Clean Energy Jobs In Kiggans’ district Relied On Inflation Reduction Act Energy Tax Credits
SEIA Said 6,500 Solar Jobs In Virginia Were At Risk If Congressional Republicans Repealed Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits.
[Solar Energy Industries Association via WayBack Machine, 10/2/25]
More Than 2,000 Jobs Were At Risk In Kiggans District If The Repeal Of The Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits In The Big Beautiful Bill Was Enacted. According to TIME Magazine, "The numbers are real. For instance, in Rep. Jen Kiggans’ Virginia district, which is based in the Hampton Roads region, about $11.3 billion in funding is at risk. That means about 2,005 jobs, an estimate based on announced projects that were not yet online as of March 31, the end of the first quarter of the year. Kiggans has been out front urging changes to the work her fellow Republicans have been doing, organizing the letter to colleagues asking they tweak their repeal language to give more flexibility on projects. ‘We appreciate the Ways and Means Committee putting America first by investing in American energy dominance, but the last thing any of us want is to provoke an energy crisis or cause higher energy bills for working families,’ they wrote on May 14." [TIME Magazine, 6/4/25]
HEADLINE: “Hampton Roads Leaders, Businesses Fear Loss Of Clean Energy Tax Credits” [WHRO, 5/9/25]
- Hampton Roads Local Leaders Said Inflation Reduction Act Energy Tax Credits Were Lowering Costs For Families And Boosting The Local Economy. According to WHRO, “Congressional Republicans are now deciding whether or not to sunset all or most of these tax credits, in line with President Donald Trump’s directives against the clean energy industry. That could impact ongoing and future projects in Hampton Roads, local leaders say. ‘The Inflation Reduction Act’s clean energy tax credits are lowering energy costs for families, helping Hampton Roads build new, cleaner energy sources, and boosting our local economy,’ Democratic Congressman Bobby Scott said in a statement. ‘If Republicans cut these tax credits, they are jeopardizing thousands of good-paying jobs and billions of dollars in investments in Hampton Roads.’” [WHRO, 5/9/25]
HEADLINE: “House Budget Threatens Billions In Clean Energy Investment In Virginia” [Canary Media, 6/3/25]
- $24 Billion Invested In Virginia Data Centers Across 2022 And 2023 Used Equipment That Received IRA Sales-Tax Exemptions. According to Canary Media, “According to a state report released in 2024, Virginia received $36 billion in investment from data centers across 2022 and 2023, $24 billion of which was equipment and software that received sales-tax exemptions. And worldwide, the fossil fuel industry received $7 trillion, or 7.1% of GDP in 2022, in subsidies, according to the International Monetary Fund. Virginia is at the forefront of surging energy demands from the proliferation of data centers. PJM Interconnection, the regional grid serving Virginia, projects summer demand to increase from over 185 gigawatts across its territory to almost 225 GW, said Asim Z. Haque Sr., PJM’s senior vice president of governmental and member services, at a recent Virginia Commission on Electric Utility Regulation meeting.” [Canary Media, 6/3/25]
- The Executive Director Of The Virginia League Of Conservation Voters Said The The Cuts Would “Unquestionably” Hurt Clean Energy Development Across The Nation. According to Canary Media, “It’s not immediately clear how the bill would impact all those projects in Virginia, since some of them are operating and under construction. But Mike Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, asked rhetorically: ’Will this bill, if passed by the Senate and signed into law, absolutely harm clean energy development and manufacturing across the country?’ His answer: ’Yes. Unquestionably.’” [Canary Media, 6/3/25]
¶ 2023: Kiggans Previously Voted To Repeal Clean Energy Tax Credits Created By The Inflation Reduction Act SHe Claimed To Want To Protect
¶ April 2023: Kiggans Voted For The Limit, Save Grow Act, Which Sought To Repeal Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Tax Credits
April 2023: Kiggans Voted For A GOP Debt Limit Package, Which Would Sought To Repeal Several Climate Tax Credits Under The Inflation Reduction Act, Especially The Tax Credits For Solar And Wind Projects, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, And Clean Fuel Production. In April 2023, Kiggans voted for the Limit, Save, Grow Act, which “increases the federal debt limit and decreases spending. It also repeals several energy tax credits, modifies the permitting process and other requirements for energy projects, expands work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other programs, and nullifies regulations for the cancellation of federal student loan debt. " The vote was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote 217-215, thus the bill was sent to Senate. The Senate did not take substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 199, 4/26/23; Congressional Actions, H.R. 2811]
- The Limit, Save, Grow Act Sought To Reset U.S. Energy Tax Code To Before The Inflation Reduction Act’s Passage. According to E&E News by Politico, "House Republicans eked out a victory Wednesday evening on their sweeping measure to raise the debt ceiling — a win they achieved by offering myriad concessions, including slashing billions of dollars in clean energy tax incentives. […] At the same time, Republicans took the opportunity to make new, further cuts to billions of dollars in funding in the Inflation Reduction Act for various initiatives related to pollution reduction, energy efficiency and environmental justice. House Republicans involved in the negotiations downplayed the scope and scale of the eleventh-hour changes throughout the day Wednesday, insisting they were just ‘technical’ in nature — intended to clarify the text to better reflect conversations that have been happening out in the open for weeks. ‘The changes last night, to be very clear, were simply honoring what we’d already said publicly we would do,’ Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a member of the House Freedom Caucus who also sits on the Rules Committee, said Wednesday. ‘There were no crazy machinations.’ Roy was referring to an agreement among members to target Inflation Reduction Act subsidies only and set the energy tax code back to 2022, pre-IRA conditions." [E&E News by Politico, 4/27/23]
- The Limit, Save Grow Act Sought To Repeal Most Of The Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy And Climate Tax Credit Expansions. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, "The Limit, Save, Grow Act would return total discretionary spending to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 level in FY 2024 and cap annual growth at 1 percent for a decade thereafter; rescind unspent COVID relief funds; repeal most of the Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) energy and climate tax credit expansions; rescind the IRA's increased Internal Revenue Service (IRS) funding; make changes to energy, regulatory, and permitting policies; impose or expand work requirements in several federal safety net programs; and prevent implementation of President Biden's student debt cancellation and Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) expansion." [Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, 4/20/23]
¶ Kiggans Aid She Was “Proud” To Be Part Of A Republican Majority That Put Forward A Bill That Included Cuts To Clean Energy Tax Credits
Kiggans: "I Am Proud To Be A Part Of This New Republican Majority That Has Put Forward The Limit, Save, And Grow Act. "According to the 4/26/23 recording of the U.S. House of Representatives House Floor Session, “JEN KIGGANS: While the President has offered no plan to avoid default, I am proud to be a part of this new Republican majority that has put forward the Limit, Save, and Grow act.” [C-SPAN, House Floor Session Part 2, 4/26/24] (video) 02:39:17