Affordable Virginia Calls for Rep. Kiggans to Reject Harmful Budget Cuts That Threaten Small Businesses

Virginia Beach, Virginia – Affordable Virginia marked this year’s Small Business Saturday by calling on Rep. Jen Kiggans to reject spending cuts that harm small businesses and working families.

“Small businesses are vital to the success and prosperity of our communities, and Congress must work to ensure all small business owners, especially women and entrepreneurs of color, have the resources they need to thrive,” said Kristina Hagen, State Director of Affordable Virginia. 

Rep. Kiggans represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, which is home to nearly 14,000 small businesses that employ over 125,000 residents. In September, Kiggans voted for a spending bill that included a 30% cut for the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) entrepreneurial development programs. This cut would have a particularly devastating impact on underrepresented communities, including veterans, women, and Native American entrepreneurs. 

Additional spending cuts are still on the table that threaten to harm small businesses even more, and Affordable Virginia is making sure their message is heard. “As Congress prepares to return from Thanksgiving recess, we want to remind Jen Kiggans of the immense harm these bills will inflict on local economies,” Hagen says. “We will continue to call on Jen Kiggans to stand with our small businesses and reject senseless cuts that threaten to devastate communities across her district before it’s too late.” 

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