In Congress, Jen Kiggans Voted Against Amendments To Prevent Offshore Drilling Off The Coast Of Virginia

Kiggans Voted For The Strategic Production Response Act And Voted Against Amendments To Prevent Offshore Drilling Off The Coast Of Virginia While In Congress

Kiggans Voted For The Strategic Production Response Act To Prohibit Oil Drawdowns From The Strategic Petroleum Reserve Until The Department Of Energy Develops A Plan To Expand Energy Leasing For Oil Equal To The Amount Drawn From The Reserve. In January 2023, Kiggans voted for: “Passage of the bill, as amended, that would prohibit the Department of Energy, after the bill’s enactment, from executing a first drawdown of petroleum products from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve for sale, exchange or loan until the DOE first develops a plan — in consultation with the Agriculture, Interior and Defense departments — to increase the percentage of federal lands leased for oil and gas production by an amount equal to the percentage of petroleum in the Reserve that would be drawn down, up to a maximum of 15 percent. The bill would provide an exception to the planning requirement if the president determines a drawdown is required due to a severe energy supply interruption, defined as an emergency situation reducing the supply of petroleum products and resulting in price increases that would have a major adverse impact on the national economy. Prior to passage, the House adopted 12 amendments to the bill. As amended, the bill would also apply the oil and gas leasing plan requirement retroactively to drawdowns initiated on Jan. 21, 2021, and afterward; require DOE to ensure that such plans would not result in the sale of drawn-down petroleum products to Iran, China, North Korea or Russia; and require DOE to submit such plans to Congress, among other provisions.” The bill passed by a vote of 221-205. [H.R. 21, Vote #93, 1/27/23; CQ, 1/27/23]

Kiggans Voted Against An Amendment No. 70 To The Strategic Production Response Act To Prohibit Leasing In The Mid-Atlantic Planning Area. In January 2023, Kiggans voted against: “Ross, D-N.C., amendment no. 70 that would prohibit the oil and gas leasing plan required by the bill from including leasing in the Mid-Atlantic Planning Area.” The amendment was rejected in Committee of the Whole by a vote of 212-218. [H.R. 21, Vote #72, 1/27/23; CQ, 1/27/23]

Kiggans Voted Against An Amendment No. 29 To The Strategic Production Response Act To Prohibit Leasing Off The Coast Of Virginia. In January 2023, Kiggans voted against: “Spanberger, D-Va., amendment no. 29 that would prohibit the oil and gas leasing plan required by the bill from including any tract located off the coast of Virginia.” The amendment was rejected in Committee of the Whole by a vote of 213-218. [H.R. 21, Vote #45, 1/26/23; CQ, 1/26/23]

Kiggans’ Issue Page Stated She Was “A Supporter Of Sustainable And Renewable Energy Such As Wind And Solar Power.” “Virginia Beach is now home to two offshore wind power turbines. Jen is a supporter of sustainable and renewable energy such as wind and solar power and will promote the exploration of other common sense alternative power sources.” [Jen Kiggans for VA Senate, Issues, accessed 4/8/21]

Kiggans Said Supported Offshore Wind Energy Development. “Virginia is now investing in another project that will have generational benefits for both of our districts: offshore wind development. We support this clean energy and job growth investment because we recognize the immense environmental and economic gains it will bring to Virginia for years to come. It’s rare these days to find an issue that brings all Virginians together, regardless of party or geography, but offshore wind certainly does.” [Richmond Times-Dispatch, Jen Kiggans And Terry Kilgore, 10/2/21]

Kiggans Voted To Repeal Climate-Focused Tax Credits For Solar And Wind Projects

Kiggans Voted For Suspending The Debt Limit Through March 2024 Which, “Would Repeal, Phase Out Or Narrow A Variety Of Climate-Focused Tax Credits Under The Fiscal 2022 Reconciliation Package, Including Repealing New Credits For Solar And Wind Projects, Sustainable Aviation Fuel And Clean Fuel Production.” In April 2023, Kiggans voted for: “Passage of the bill, as amended, that would suspend the statutory limit on federal debt through March 31, 2024, or until an additional $1.5 trillion has been borrowed — whichever occurs first. It would also include a range of provisions to limit federal spending, as well as the text of a previously passed energy and permitting policy package. The bill would set base discretionary spending limits through fiscal 2033, capping spending for fiscal 2024 at the fiscal 2022 level of $1.47 trillion — a reduction from current spending levels — and raising the cap by 1 percent annually through fiscal 2033. It would also include similar annual cap adjustments for specified programs, including for wildfire suppression, disability reviews and redeterminations, health care fraud and abuse control, and disaster reemployment services and eligibility assessments. The bill would rescind unobligated amounts from various funds provided by the fiscal 2022 reconciliation package (PL 117-169) for COVID-19 relief, IRS enforcement, and certain climate- and infrastructure-focused initiatives, as well as all unobligated funding from the March 2021 coronavirus relief reconciliation package (PL 117-2) and earlier coronavirus response laws. The bill would expand or establish work requirements for Medicaid beneficiaries aged 19 to 55 and raise from 49 to 55 the oldest age at which existing work requirements would apply for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries. It would also modify various work standards for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, including to update the baseline for calculating certain state workforce participation standards and require states to collect certain data related to work outcomes for TANF participants. To limit regulatory spending, the bill would nullify pending executive actions suspending student loan payments and prohibit the Education Department from implementing any substantially similar actions without congressional approval. It would also establish a process to require congressional approval of all “major” federal rules that would have an annual impact of at least $100 million, cause a major increase in prices, or cause significant adverse effects to economic competitiveness. Among energy- and climate-focused provisions, the bill would repeal, phase out or narrow a variety of climate-focused tax credits under the fiscal 2022 reconciliation package, including repealing new credits for solar and wind projects, sustainable aviation fuel and clean fuel production. It would also include the full text of the House-passed energy and permitting package (HR 1) that would require a number of actions to boost the domestic production of fossil fuels and certain critical minerals and accelerate the construction of natural gas pipelines and other energy infrastructure, while reversing or repealing certain presidential actions taken and laws enacted during the Biden administration related to energy policy and climate change.” The bill passed by a vote of 217-215. [H.R. 2811, Vote #199, 4/26/23; CQ, 4/26/23]

• The Debt Limit Bill Repealed Tax Incentives For Renewable Energy And Toughened Work Requirements For Antipoverty Programs, Including Medicaid. “The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday narrowly passed a bill to raise the government's $31.4 trillion debt ceiling that includes sweeping spending cuts over the next decade. […] The House bill would increase Washington's borrowing authority by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, whichever comes first, raising the specter of another round of negotiations during the 2024 presidential campaign. The bill would pare spending to 2022 levels and then cap growth at 1% a year, repeal some tax incentives for renewable energy and stiffen work requirements for some antipoverty programs. […] The overnight changes removed a provision that would have ended a tax credit for biofuels that was part of Biden's climate change initiatives in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Bending to the far-right wing

of the party, Republicans also accelerated some new, tougher work requirements for receiving Medicaid healthcare benefits for the poor, angering Democrats.” [Reuters, 4/27/23]

• The Debt Limit Bill Rolled Back Student Loan Debt Forgiveness And Climate Provisions From The Inflation Reduction Act. “The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would raise the debt ceiling and slash trillions of dollars in government spending, delivering House Speaker Kevin McCarthy a victory in his efforts to pressure the White House to begin negotiations ahead of a fast-approaching deadline to avoid a default. […] The bill rolls back some of the president's signature policies, including his plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loan debt — two challenges to the debt relief program are pending before the Supreme Court — and climate provisions enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats' signature health care, tax and climate package.” [CBS News, 4/26/23]

Kiggans Said Had Concerns With H.R. 2811, Saying She Had “Serious Concerns With The Provision Of This Legislation That Repeals Clean-Energy Investment Tax Credits, Particularly For Wind Energy,” And Then Cast Her Vote To Abolish The Clean-Energy Credits

Op-Ed: Kiggans Said Had Concerns With H.R. 2811, Saying She Had “Serious Concerns With The Provision Of This Legislation That Repeals Clean-Energy Investment Tax Credits, Particularly For Wind Energy.” ”Jen Kiggans had the haunted look of a woman about to walk the plank. The first-term Republican from Virginia barely took her eyes off her text Wednesday as she read it aloud on the House floor. She tripped over words and used her fingers to keep her place on the page. The anxiety was understandable. Like about 30 other House Republicans from vulnerable districts, she was about to vote in favor of the GOP’s plan to force spending cuts of about $4.8 trillion as the ransom to be paid for avoiding a default on the federal debt. ‘I do have serious concerns with the provision of this legislation that repeals clean-energy investment tax credits, particularly for wind energy,’ she read. ‘These credits have been very beneficial to my constituents, attracting significant investment and new manufacturing jobs for businesses in southeast Virginia.’ Directing a question to Republicans’ chief deputy whip, Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.), she asked for ‘the gentleman’s assurance that I will be able to address these concerns as we move forward in these negotiations and advocate for the interests of my district.’ The gentleman offered no such assurance. ‘I support repealing these tax credits,’ he replied, offering only the noncommittal promise to ‘continue to work with the gentlewoman from Virginia, just like we will with all members.’ Kiggans then cast her vote to abolish the clean-energy credits her constituents find so ‘beneficial.’” [Washington Post, Dan Milbank Opinion, 4/28/23]

• Op-Ed: “Kiggans Then Cast Her Vote To Abolish The Clean-Energy Credits Her Constituents Find So ‘Beneficial.’” ”‘I do have serious concerns with the provision of this legislation that repeals clean-energy investment tax credits, particularly for wind energy,’ she read. ‘These credits have been very beneficial to my constituents, attracting significant investment and new manufacturing jobs for businesses in southeast Virginia.’ Directing a question to Republicans’ chief deputy whip, Guy Reschenthaler (Pa.), she asked for ‘the gentleman’s assurance that I will be able to address these concerns as we move forward in these negotiations and advocate for the interests of my district.’ The gentleman offered no such assurance. ‘I support repealing these tax credits,’ he replied, offering only the noncommittal promise to ‘continue to work with the gentlewoman from Virginia, just like we will with all members.’ Kiggans then cast her vote to abolish the clean-energy credits her constituents find so ‘beneficial.’” [Washington Post, Dana Milbank Opinion, 4/28/23]
• Op-Ed: “Jen Kiggans Had The Haunted Look Of A Woman About To Walk The Plank.” ”Jen Kiggans had the haunted look of a woman about to walk the plank. The first-term Republican from Virginia barely took her eyes off her text Wednesday as she read it aloud on the House floor. She tripped over words and used her fingers to keep her place on the page. The anxiety was understandable. Like about 30 other House Republicans from vulnerable districts, she was about to vote in favor of the GOP’s plan to force spending cuts of about $4.8 trillion as the ransom to be paid for avoiding a default on the federal debt.” [Washington Post, Dana Milbank Opinion, 4/28/23]