¶ Overview
Kiggans defended Trump’s tariffs and claimed “the direction of the country is a good one.” Then, she voted four times to protect the tariffs, including in April 2025 when she was the deciding vote to protect them, dooming Virginia families who relied on her to a trade war and rising prices. Tariffs are contributing to higher food prices, could raise car insurance rates, and caused layoffs in Virginia.
¶ Kiggans Defended Trump’s Tariffs, Which Were Causing Layoffs And Uncertainty For Virginians
¶ Kiggans: “I Think The Direction of The Country Is A Good One. It’s, The End Goals Are Good. The Economy Is Going to Be Stronger”
Kiggans: “I Think The Direction Of The Country Is A Good One. It's The End Goals Are Good. The Economy Is Going To Be Stronger. You Know, Our Military Will Be Better Prepared, Our Families Will Be Safer.” According to a tele-town hall hosted by Rep. Jen Kiggans, “KIGGANS: And it's always just, you know, I stop and just really just relish the fact that I have this opportunity and this privilege of representing the people of Virginia and Hampton Roads. But you just need to know that. I mean, it's I think the direction of the country is a good one. It's, the end goals are good. The economy is going to be stronger. You know, our military will be better prepared, our families will be safer. All of these things will happen. And it's going to be a team effort up here, but privileged to be in the fight. And I just, I appreciate that comment. So thank you so much.” [Rep. Jen Kiggans Tele-Town Hall, 4/2/25] (audio)
¶ Kiggans Defended Trump’s Tariffs And Told Virginians To “Be Patient With The Process And Remember The End Goal”
Kiggans On Trump’s Tariffs: “I Just Ask That That We Be Patient With The Process And Remember The End Goal." According to a tele-town hall hosted by Rep. Jen Kiggans, “KIGGANS: "I know that we, the president utilizing this as a tool. We have seen some movement in the behaviors of countries who import American products. And he's doing this, again to incentivize domestic manufacturing, to look out for American companies, protect those American jobs. And so, you know, I, I just ask that that we be patient with the process and remember the end goal." [Rep. Jen Kiggans Tele-Town Hall, 4/2/25] (audio)
Kiggans Claimed People Were Fearmongering About The Impact Of Tariffs In The Short Term And President Trump Was “Standing Up For American Workers And Jobs And Businesses.” According to a tele-town hall hosted by Rep. Jen Kiggans, “KIGGANS: But your question just about tariffs. And thank you for bringing that up. I know it's been the talk of the town in the news today, and we are watching also. And I think with tariffs, one thing we need to remember is that we're playing the long game here. And I know that there's a lot of, you know, concern, anxiety, I almost want to say fear mongering sometimes for what this looks like in the short term. But we have to think kind of the role in tariffs and what this looks like and why the president has put these in place. And he's standing up for American workers and jobs and businesses. And we've seen a decline in domestic manufacturing.” [Rep. Jen Kiggans Tele-Town Hall, 4/2/25] (audio)
¶ Kiggans Repeatedly Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
¶ September 2025: Kiggans Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
2025: Kiggans Effectively Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through March 2026. In September 2025, Kiggans 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: Kiggans Cast The Deciding Vote To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
2025: Kiggans Cast The Deciding Vote For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through September 2025. In April 2025, Kiggans voted for, “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 Has “Executive Authority” And That The Tariffs Are “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. 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: Kiggans Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
2025: Kiggans Effectively Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs Through September 2025. In April 2025, Kiggans 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: Kiggans Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs
2025: Kiggans Voted For A Procedural Trick To Block Votes On The Reversal Of Trump’s Tariffs. In March 2025, Kiggans 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]
¶ Trump’s Tariffs Had Already Caused Layoffs In Virginia And Were Creating Uncertainty For Businesses
HEADLINE: "Trump’s Tariffs Blamed For Volvo Layoffs In Southwest Virginia" [Virginia Dogwood, 4/22/25]
HEADLINE: "Tariffs Could Add $500M To Cost Of Virginia Beach Offshore Wind Farm, Dominion Tells Investors" [Virginia Mercury, 5/6/25]
HEADLINE: "Trump’s Tariffs: Sour Grapes For Hampton Roads Wine Shops" [Virginian Pilot, 3/25/25]
Old Dominion University Economics Professor: “Our Expectation Is The Tariffs Will Lead To Increases In Prices, The Higher Prices Will Result In Decreased Demand For These Products, So We Should See A Decline In Imports Which Will Of Course Affect The Port Of Virginia.” According to the Virginian Pilot, "However severe those impacts are, they will be felt between May and July, according to Vinod Agarwal, a professor of economics at Old Dominion University and deputy director for ODU’s Dragas Center for Economic Analysis and Policy. […] ‘Here’s what I know: tariffs should lead to a decrease in imports at almost all U.S. ports, not just the Port of Virginia,’ Agarwal said. ‘The effect of the tariffs has not yet been seen in as much detail as is likely to be seen in the next couple of months. ‘Our expectation is the tariffs will lead to increases in prices, the higher prices will result in decreased demand for these products, so we should see a decline in imports which will of course affect the Port of Virginia,’ he continued." [Virginian Pilot, 5/6/25]
HEADLINE: "Businesses In Some Virginia Counties Won’t Feel Tariffs At All, But The Ones Who Will Feel Them Most Are In Rural Areas." [Cardinal News, 4/22/25]