Spanberger: “Virginia Consumers, Businesses, and Farmers Need Certainty,

RICHMOND, Va. — Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after President Trump imposed an estimated $600 billion per year in new import tariffs — “one of the largest [tax increases] in U.S. history” according to The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board — that will raise costs for families, business owners, and producers across the Commonwealth.

“This plan is a massive tax hike on Virginians — plain and simple. Families across the Commonwealth are already struggling to keep up with high prices, and imposing hundreds of billions of dollars in new tariffs will not lower costs. Instead, these new taxes will hurt families, increase expenses for small business owners, create major uncertainty for Virginia agriculture during planting season, and threaten regional economies that rely on the Port of Virginia.

“Virginia consumers, businesses, and farmers need certainty, not chaos. As the next Governor of Virginia, I will never be afraid to stand up for our Commonwealth’s economy.”

BACKGROUND

Spanberger has consistently warned about how these tariffs could hurt Virginia families and businesses. In February, in Virginia Beach, she described how the Trump Administration’s then-proposed tariffs would “hurt consumers across the Commonwealth.”  

Spanberger has long prioritized lowering costs for Virginia families and expanding trade opportunities for Virginia businesses.

In 2019, Spanberger worked with both parties to pass the bipartisan United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which facilitates stronger trade partnerships between the three countries.

During USMCA negotiations, Spanberger brought the ideas and concerns of Virginia workers and Virginia businesses directly to the White House and administration officials. In May 2019, Spanberger met with the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative to discuss the impact of ongoing USMCA negotiations on Virginians. In December 2019, Spanberger sat down with Vice President Pence at the White House to bring the feedback of Virginia’s farmers and businesses directly to the Trump Administration. Later that month, Spanberger voted to pass the bipartisan trade deal, which President Trump signed into law.

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