Desperate Derrick: Rep. Van Orden Fawns Over Trump, Only To Be Ignored

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Desperate Derrick: Rep. Van Orden Fawns Over Trump, Only To Be Ignored

Van Orden repeatedly tried to get Trump's attention at the State of the Union — and was ignored. Wisconsin families wishing Van Orden paid them the same attention aren't laughing.

LA CROSSE, WI — A video from Tuesday night's State of the Union shows Congressman Derrick Van Orden making repeated attempts to get President Trump's attention as he passed through the House chamber. Trump didn't stop.

t's a fitting image. Van Orden has spent his time in Congress doing almost everything Trump has asked — voting for tariffs that raise costs for Wisconsin families, cutting food assistance for Wisconsin children and veterans, and supporting a budget that strips health care from Wisconsinites — and still couldn't get a moment of the president's time. During the State of the Union address Van Orden also cheered when Trump mentioned the millions of Americans who have been removed from food assistance, after previously saying he would not support cuts to benefits.

Van Orden voted for the Republican Tax Law that cuts Medicaid, slashes SNAP benefits, and raises costs for working families — all to fund tax breaks for billionaires. He admitted himself that the bill cuts food assistance for children. He has refused to hold open town halls to answer for any of it.

"Derrick Van Orden has spent his time in Congress voting for tariffs that raise grocery prices, cutting food assistance for Wisconsin children, and stripping health care from over 100,000 Wisconsinites — all to hand more tax breaks to billionaires,” said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. “Tuesday night we saw him desperately trying to get Trump's attention while his own constituents can't even get a town hall. Wisconsin families deserve a congressman who fights for them, not one who fights for a photo op." 
 

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New ad highlights how Van Orden-backed tariffs are squeezing Wisconsin small businesses and families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

New ad highlights how Van Orden-backed tariffs are squeezing Wisconsin small businesses and families

WATCH: Viroqua coffee roaster TJ shares how Van Orden's support for tariffs is crushing his small business and forcing him to raise prices

VIROQUA, Wis. – Opportunity Wisconsin today released a new ad holding Congressman Derrick Van Orden accountable for his votes supporting tariffs that have raised costs for Wisconsin small businesses and families.

The ad features TJ, co-owner and president of Wonderstate Coffee in Viroqua. Wonderstate roasts half a million pounds of coffee a year and employs 85 people. TJ speaks directly about the impact of tariffs on his business, which have sent the cost of coffee beans soaring – on top of other rising expenses – that have left him no choice but to raise prices for his customers.

"Congressman Van Orden's votes are making life harder for Wisconsin small business owners and families alike," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "TJ and his business employ people across Wisconsin and are giving back to communities, but Van Orden's support for these reckless tariffs is crushing them. And while small businesses are struggling to stay afloat, Van Orden is out there calling the tariffs a success. That's out of touch and Wisconsin families deserve better."

Van Orden has repeatedly voted to support President Trump's tariffs and block Congress from challenging them, including voting against a resolution to remove tariffs on Canada earlier this month. Retail coffee prices have surged nearly 21% thanks to new tariffs on major coffee-producing countries. Rather than working to lower costs for Wisconsin families and small businesses, Van Orden called the tariffs "a success." 

While the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many tariffs last Friday, President Trump has quickly acted to reinstate costly tariffs and Van Orden has remained silent.

The latest ad is a continuation of Opportunity Wisconsin’s paid media buy in the Third Congressional District. “Coffee” will begin airing today on broadcast and cable in the La Crosse and Eau Claire market. In addition to the TV ad, Opportunity Wisconsin released two digital ads featuring TJ’s story, “Headache” and “Final Straw.” 

"Coffee" Transcript: 

TJ: "We're roasting half a million pounds of coffee a year and we employ 85 people. But these tariffs are crushing us. You're looking at $100,000 in tariffs right here. That's on top of all of our other supplies getting more expensive. We've had no choice but to raise prices. Congressman Derrick Van Orden voted to support the tariffs. And he called them a success. That doesn't feel like success to me. All I see are higher prices. We need to tell Derrick Van Orden to stop raising our costs."

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Ahead of State of the Union, New Report Shows How Steil and Van Orden's Records Are Raising Costs for Wisconsin Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org
 

Ahead of State of the Union, New Report Shows How Steil and Van Orden's Records Are Raising Costs for Wisconsin Families

Opportunity Wisconsin releases district-by-district analysis of the real-world impact of Trump administration policies that have been rubber-stamped by Congressmen Steil and Van Orden

MADISON, Wis. — As President Trump prepares to deliver the State of the Union Address to Congress, Opportunity Wisconsin today released new reports documenting how Reps. Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden's support for Trump administration policies is driving up costs for families, seniors, veterans, and small businesses across Wisconsin's 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts.

The reports, Paying the Price, finds that since the last State of the Union Address, both congressmen voted for the Republican Tax Law — which made the largest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP in history — and have backed sweeping tariffs that independent economists say are raising costs for Wisconsin households and businesses. Together, these policies are squeezing district families from both sides: cuts to the programs they depend on, and higher prices on the goods they buy every day.
 

Read Opportunity Wisconsin’s Report on the 1st Congressional District
Read Opportunity Wisconsin’s Report on the 3rd Congressional District

"While Rep. Steil and Rep. Van Orden have voted to cut health care and SNAP for their own constituents, they've stood firmly behind tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and tariffs that are hitting Wisconsin families and businesses hard," said Meghan Roh, Program Director of Opportunity Wisconsin. "As President Trump addresses Congress tomorrow night, we want Wisconsinites to know exactly what their representatives have chosen — and what it's costing them."

Reps. Steil and Van Orden have the opportunity to reverse course and undo the damage they have caused by restoring Medicaid and SNAP funding, bringing back the health care tax credits their constituents depend on, and standing up against tariffs that are raising costs across Wisconsin.

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Supreme Court strikes down costly tariffs Reps. Van Orden and Steil voted for

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org 
 

Supreme Court strikes down costly tariffs Reps. Van Orden and Steil voted for

Tariffs struck down as new data shows Americans are paying for 90% of tariff cost increases

MADISON, Wis. – Earlier today the U.S. Supreme Court struck down most of President Trump’s costly tariffs which have sent prices for everyday items skyrocketing while Republicans in Congress, including Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil voted for the tariffs and refused to stand up for working families.

"The Supreme Court shouldn't have had to step in because Republicans in Congress voted for tariffs that are raising prices," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "For months, Congressmen Van Orden and Steil voted for and have stood by tariffs that raised prices at the grocery store and forced small businesses to increase their prices. The damage has already been done to Wisconsin families and businesses. Now it's time for Van Orden and Steil to make clear they'll oppose any future tariffs and harmful economic policies that raise costs for working families."

From March through November Wisconsin businesses had already paid $3.5 billion in tariffs, forcing them to raise prices. Recent reporting from the New York Federal Reserve found that Americans are the ones stuck paying for the cost of tariffs. In fact, researchers found “nearly 90 percent of the tariffs’ economic burden fell on U.S. firms and consumers.”

Throughout this crisis, Van Orden and Steil voted for Trump's tariffs instead of standing up for Wisconsin families and businesses. Last week both congressmen voted again to keep tariffs in place and backed a failed measure which would have prevented members of Congress from introducing legislation to roll them back.  In addition to backing tariffs, they have also consistently supported policies that raise costs for working families, including voting earlier this year for the Republican Tax Law that forces massive cuts to Medicaid and SNAP just to fund tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.
 

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Constituents Deliver Valentine's Day Cards to Reps. Steil and Van Orden, Calling on Them to Reverse Medicaid Cuts

KENOSHA AND EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – In case you missed it, last week constituents delivered nearly 200 Valentine's Day cards to Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden calling on them to reverse their votes for devastating cuts to Medicaid. The cards, featuring messages like "Be my Valentine, don't be cruel – Cutting Medicaid isn't cool," were signed by constituents across the districts and delivered to both offices on Friday.

The Republican Tax Law that both congressmen voted for will result in 54,000 Wisconsinites losing Medicaid coverage. The law cuts Medicaid to pay for tax breaks for billionaires and big corporations.

View photos of the delivery here

"Cutting Medicaid isn't love—it hurts Wisconsin families who depend on this coverage to stay healthy and access care," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "Congressmen Steil and Van Orden chose to prioritize tax breaks for the ultra-rich over health care for their constituents. It's time to reverse these cruel cuts."

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Van Orden and Steil vote to keep costly Canadian tariffs in place

Congressmen once again vote against ending tariffs despite new data showing $1,300 annual cost to working families

MADISON, Wis. – Today, Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil voted against a resolution to end President Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods, choosing to keep tariffs in place that are driving up costs on groceries, building materials, and other everyday items for Wisconsin families. The vote came just one day after both congressmen voted to prevent Congress from even debating these cost-raising tariffs.

"Twice in two days, Congressmen Van Orden and Steil have chosen to protect Trump's tariffs over providing relief to Wisconsin families," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "These tariffs are costing families $1,300 this year and wiping out nearly all tax relief working families received. Van Orden and Steil had the chance to provide relief – instead they doubled down on policies that are raising prices at the grocery store and the checkout line."

According to the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, tariffs have erased between 70 percent and 95 percent of tax cuts for middle-income families and have eliminated tax savings almost entirely for lower-middle-income households. Wisconsin businesses have already paid $2.7 billion in tariffs, forcing them to raise prices or scale back operations.

Wisconsin small business owner TJ recently spoke out on the impact of tariffs, saying, “as a small business owner, I've seen firsthand how tariffs are driving up the cost of goods and forcing businesses to make tough financial decisions. Tariffs are absolutely forcing families to pay more for everyday items and they're costing our economy thousands of jobs.”

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Van Orden and Steil vote to protect Trump's costly tariffs as Wisconsin families pay the price

After voting to block tariff challenges, House to vote Wednesday on ending Canada tariffs that have driven up costs

MADISON, Wis. – On Tuesday night, Congressmen Derrick Van Orden and Bryan Steil voted to prevent Congress from challenging President Trump's tariffs, which new reports show have cost families an extra $1,000 last year and are projected to cost $1,300 this year according to new research from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. The measure failed 217-214 after three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing it, clearing the way for a vote as early as today on a resolution to end Trump's tariffs on Canada.

"Congressmen Van Orden and Steil had a choice: stand with Wisconsin families struggling with higher costs or protect Trump's tariff policies that are driving up prices on everything from groceries to building materials," said Opportunity Wisconsin Program Director Meghan Roh. "They chose to shield these tariffs, even as new data shows tariffs are dramatically increasing costs for working families. It’s time for Van Orden and Steil to reject these tariffs and provide relief to Wisconsin families – including voting to end Canadian tariffs that are forcing prices higher."

New data shows Trump's tariffs are wiping out any benefit Wisconsin families might have received from recent tax cuts. According to the Tax Foundation, tariffs have erased between 70 percent and 95 percent of tax cuts for middle-income families. For lower-middle-income households, their projected $245 tax cut is nearly canceled out by an estimated $233 tariff burden. 

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ICYMI: Tariffs costing U.S. economy thousands of jobs monthly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026
CONTACT: press@opportunitywisconsin.org

ICYMI: Tariffs costing U.S. economy thousands of jobs monthly

FOX Business: “The Kansas City Fed economists estimated that the economy could've added 19,000 more jobs each month, on average, from January 2025 to August 2025 without tariff effects…”

MADISON, Wis. – In case you missed it, a new analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City found that tariffs are slowing jobs growth across the country and costing our economy thousands of new jobs each month as businesses continue to be squeezed by costly tariffs supported by Republicans in Congress.

The report found that in addition to monthly employment growth dropping by nearly 100,000 jobs, job growth last year lagged behind 2022-23 data in every sector. Republican members of Congress including Reps. Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden have voted multiple times to keep these tariffs in place, driving up costs for families and threatening our economic success. 

"As a small business owner, I've seen firsthand how tariffs are driving up the cost of goods and forcing businesses to make tough financial decisions. Tariffs are absolutely forcing families to pay more for everyday items and they're costing our economy thousands of jobs,” said small business owner TJ Semanchin. “Voting to end these tariffs should be an easy decision for Republicans in Congress, it's time for Congressmen Bryan Steil and Derrick Van Orden to act."

FOX Business: Tariffs may have cost US economy thousands of jobs monthly, Fed analysis reveals
 

• An analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City found that tariffs may have slowed job growth in the U.S. economy in 2025 after higher import taxes were implemented.
   

• Economists at the Kansas City Fed noted that employment growth slowed markedly from 170,000 per month in 2024 to only 75,000 per month through August 2025, a trend that Fed policymakers have monitored closely and which helped prompt three interest rate cuts at the central bank's meetings in September, October and December.
   

• "Overall, our findings suggest — at least thus far — domestic firms might have added fewer jobs in response to tariffs, similar to the employment effects of the 2018 tariffs," the economists concluded.
   

• The economists found that job growth in nearly all sectors in 2025 was below the 2022-23 average, reflecting the strong post-pandemic recovery in those earlier years as well as the recent slowdown. 
   

• They also found that sectors with greater exposure to tariffs faced a greater decline in job growth, which they attributed to direct tariff effects.

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