Rep. Jen Kiggans Votes Against Three-Year Extension of ACA Tax Credits, Citing Need for Health Care Reform
By Kate Seltzer | January 9, 2026
In a recent House vote on Thursday, Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.), who represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District encompassing Virginia Beach and Suffolk, cast a dissenting vote against a bill that sought to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits for three years. The bill passed the House by a 230-196 margin but has already been rejected by the Senate, making the vote largely symbolic. Still, it signals ongoing partisan tensions and highlights Kiggans’ push for a more reform-oriented approach toward health care subsidies.
Opposition Rooted in Need for Reform
Kiggans explained her opposition in a Friday morning interview, saying she has supported shorter extensions of the subsidies—one year or two years—but only if paired with significant reforms to the healthcare system. “I have never supported a three-year extension of COVID-era tax credits with no health care reform in place,” she said.
The subsidies, originally introduced in 2021, played a crucial role in keeping health insurance affordable for Americans purchasing coverage through the ACA marketplace. However, they expired at the end of 2025, driving fears of potentially doubling insurance premiums for many. The expiration was also a flashpoint during last fall’s federal government shutdown, where Senate Democrats held budget negotiations at a stalemate pending the tax credit extension.
Kiggans Advocates for a Balanced Approach
Prior to this vote, Kiggans introduced a one-year extension and co-sponsored a bipartisan proposal featuring a gradual phase-out mechanism and income caps, aiming to balance affordability with fiscal responsibility. “What I can’t have happen is at the end of the year, everyone who is on Obamacare’s health insurance premiums go up by thousands of dollars,” Kiggans noted, stressing the importance of protecting approximately 40,000 people in her district, including healthcare workers she personally knows.
Yet she clarified that the clean, unamended three-year extension bill was not acceptable because it lacked accompanying reforms that she believes are critical. “A clean three-year extension, which doesn’t benefit patients and only benefits insurance, is not the right answer,” Kiggans emphasized.
She remains committed to advancing her “Common Ground 2025” framework aimed at bipartisan healthcare reform and expressed hope that it might be brought to a vote or incorporated into Senate legislation. “I don’t worry about letting perfect be the enemy of the good because I look at every vote independently. I vote on the bill in front of me,” she said.
Impact and Political Reactions
According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the passed bill would increase the federal deficit by about $80.6 billion through 2035 but would also expand health insurance coverage, with estimates projecting 100,000 more people insured this year and up to 4 million additional insured by 2028. Democrats, however, have criticized Kiggans’ vote. Former Rep. Elaine Luria, who is seeking to reclaim the 2nd District seat from Kiggans, accused her of putting “political interests above Coastal Virginians” and asserted that “health insurance premiums have skyrocketed for families because of Kiggans’ failed leadership.”
Looking Ahead
As the debate over the future of ACA tax credits continues, Kiggans’ stance underscores the broader discussion about how to balance affordability with long-term healthcare sustainability. With midterm elections approaching, healthcare remains a pivotal issue in Virginia’s 2nd District and across the country.
For now, the fate of the three-year extension bill remains uncertain in the Senate, while Kiggans continues to advocate for a reformed, bipartisan approach to healthcare subsidies aimed at protecting both taxpayers and patients.
Kate Seltzer can be reached at [email protected] or (757) 713-7881.