Supreme Court Strikes Down President’s Cost-Raising Tariffs
Virginia Beach, VA – Today, the Supreme Court struck down most of President Trump’s tariffs, ruling that he exceeded his authority when using a law reserved for a national emergency. Rep. Jen Kiggans was among those who supported giving Trump that power, which has led to rising costs on nearly all imported goods. Just this month, Rep. Jen Kiggans voted to keep Canadian tariffs in place, further driving up costs.
A new report found that the brunt of US tariffs – a staggering 95% – are being paid by US consumers. Rep. Kiggans has asked her constituents to be patient with the process, while Virginia small businesses pay billions, and families paid an additional $1,700 last year due to these tariffs – that’s money they can’t get back.
“As the mother of five, I know how to make a budget, but this year I’ve been stretching it thinner than ever before,” said Kassaundra Stivanson, resident of Virginia Beach, and Navy veteran. “I was hit hard over the holidays with tariffs impacting what I was able to afford, and before that, back-to-school season was a nightmare. Rep. Kiggans has stood by while this administration has nickel-and-dimed working families at every turn. Even something as basic as a cup of coffee has gone up at the grocery store. I can’t think of anything more affordable now than it was a year ago, and nothing that would offset these other rising costs. Rep. Kiggans needs to step up and stop putting billionaires before families like mine and do something.”
“This decision is a huge win for working families. These tariffs haven’t just impacted household budgets, they’ve affected small businesses, too,” said Emily Yeatts, Affordable Virginia Campaigns Director. “As these business owners face smaller margins, they’re hitting pause on hiring, or worse, letting go of employees because they just can’t afford to pay them. These tariffs have only benefited one group – billionaires. While working families try to get more creative, there’s only so far buying second-hand and rationing groceries can go when your health care costs have doubled and childcare costs as much as your mortgage. Now that the Supreme Court has killed these, it’s time for Rep. Kiggans to stand up for your constituents and rein in corporate greed to lower household costs.”