[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 133 (Tuesday, September 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H8200-H8207]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REAUTHORIZATION OF THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

  The Committee resumed its sitting.
  The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 1 printed 
in House Report 105-282.


                  Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Evans

  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

       Amendment No. 1 offered by Mr. Evans:
       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SEC. 10. PREFERENCE IN EXPORT-IMPORT BANK ASSISTANCE FOR 
                   EXPORTS TO CHINA TO BE PROVIDED TO COMPANIES 
                   ADHERING TO CODE OF CONDUCT.

       (a) In General.--Section 2 of the Export-Import Bank Act of 
     1945 (12 U.S.C. 635) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(f) Preference in Assistance for Exports to China To Be 
     Provided to Entities Adhering to Code of Conduct.--
       ``(1) Prohibitions.--
       ``(A) In general.--In determining, whether to guarantee, 
     insure, extend credit, or participate in the extension of 
     credit with respect to the export of goods or services 
     destined for the People's Republic of China, the Board of 
     Directors shall give preference to entities that the Board of 
     Directors determines have established and are adhering to the 
     code of conduct set forth in paragraph (2).
       ``(B) Penalty for violation.--The Bank shall withdraw any 
     guarantee, insurance, or credit that the Bank has provided, 
     and shall withdraw from any participation in an extension of 
     credit, to an entity with respect to the export of any good 
     or service destined for the People's Republic of China if the 
     Board of Directors determines that the entity is not adhering 
     to the code of conduct set forth in paragraph (2).
       ``(2) Code of conduct.--An entity shall do all of the 
     following in all of its operations:
       ``(A) Provide a safe and healthy workplace.
       ``(B) Ensure fair employment, including by--
       ``(i) avoiding child and forced labor, and discrimination 
     based upon race, gender, national origin, or religious 
     beliefs;
       ``(ii) respecting freedom of association and the right to 
     organize and bargain collectively;
       ``(iii) paying not less than the minimum wage required by 
     law or the prevailing industry wage, whichever is higher; and
       ``(iv) providing all legally mandated benefits.
       ``(C) Obey all applicable environmental laws.
       ``(D) Comply with United States and local laws promoting 
     good business practices, including laws prohibiting illicit 
     payments and ensuring fair competition.
       ``(E) Maintain, through leadership at all levels, a 
     corporate culture--
       ``(i) which respects free expression consistent with 
     legitimate business concerns, and does not condone political 
     coercion in the workplace;
       ``(ii) which encourages good corporate citizenship and 
     makes a positive contribution to the communities in which the 
     entity operates; and
       ``(iii) in which ethical conduct is recognized, valued, and 
     exemplified by all employees.
       ``(F) Require similar behavior by partners, suppliers, and 
     subcontractors under terms of contracts.
       ``(G) Implement and monitor compliance with the 
     subparagraphs (A) through (F) through a program that is 
     designed to prevent and detect noncompliance by any employee 
     or supplier of the entity and that includes--
       ``(i) standards for ethical conduct of employees of the 
     entity and of suppliers which refer to the subparagraphs;
       ``(ii) procedures for assignment of appropriately qualified 
     personnel at the management level to monitor and enforce 
     compliance;
       ``(iii) procedures for reporting noncompliance by employees 
     and suppliers;
       ``(iv) procedures for selecting qualified individuals who 
     are not employees of the entity or of suppliers to monitor 
     compliance, and for assessing the effectiveness of such 
     compliance monitoring;
       ``(v) procedures for disciplinary action in response to 
     noncompliance;
       ``(vi) procedures designed to ensure that, in cases in 
     which noncompliance is detected, reasonable steps are taken 
     to correct the noncompliance and prevent similar 
     noncompliance from occurring; and
       ``(vii) communication of all standards and procedures with 
     respect to the code of conduct to every employee and 
     supplier--
       ``(I) by requiring all management level employees and 
     suppliers to participate in a training program; or
       ``(II) by disseminating information orally and in writing, 
     through posting of an explanation of the standards and 
     procedures in prominent places sufficient to inform all 
     employees and suppliers, in the local languages spoken by 
     employees and managers.
       ``(3) Small business exception.--This subsection shall not 
     apply to an entity that is a small business (within the 
     meaning of the Small Business Act.''.
       (b) Annual Report.--Section 2(b)(1)(A) of such Act (12 
     U.S.C. 635(b)(1)(A) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following: ``The Bank shall include in the annual report a 
     description of the actions the Bank has taken to comply with 
     subsection (f) during the period covered by the report.''.
       (c) Receipts of Assistance From the Export-Import Bank To 
     Be Provided With Resources and Information To Further 
     Adherence to Global Codes of Corporate Conduct.--The Export-
     Import Bank of the United States shall work with the 
     Clearinghouse on Corporate Responsibility that is being 
     developed by the Department of Commerce to ensure that 
     recipients of assistance from the Export-Import Bank are made 
     aware of, and have access to, resources and organizations 
     that can assist the recipients in developing, implementing, 
     and monitoring global codes of corporate conduct.

  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 255, the gentleman from 
Illinois [Mr. Evans] and a Member opposed each will control 5 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Evans].
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, my amendment to the Export-Import Bank reauthorization 
bill directs the Bank to provide a financial carrot for firms to adopt, 
adhere, and comply with their own business standards while operating in 
China. Under this proposal, priority for Export-Import Bank financing 
would be granted to firms who have pledged to avoid the use of child or 
prison labor, avoid discrimination based on religion, race, gender, and 
national origin, respect freedom of association and the right to 
organize, provide a safe and healthy workplace, obey applicable 
environmental laws, comply with U.S. and local laws in promoting good 
business practices, including laws prohibiting illicit payments, and 
assure that their business partners in China adhere to those same 
principles.

                              {time}  1515

  In order to qualify for this preference, firms must demonstrate that 
they are making a good faith effort to comply with these principles. 
The board of directors would evaluate a firm's qualifications based on 
guidelines outlined in this amendment.
  Most companies are aware of these procedures because they are modeled 
after chapter 8 of the U.S. Federal Sentencing Guidelines relating to 
organizational defendants. Those guidelines were implemented in 1991 as 
an incentive for U.S. corporations to prevent and detect violations of 
U.S. laws within their organization. If a firm implements a compliance 
system to prevent

[[Page H8201]]

corporate crimes such as bribery or fraud, the firm can mitigate any 
fines incurred in court. As a result, these guidelines have been a 
powerful incentive for firms to establish ethics codes as well as 
compliance measures.
  The amendment also directs the bank to work with the Commerce 
Department's Clearinghouse on Corporate Responsibility to ensure that 
the recipients of financing from the bank are aware of and have access 
to resources and organizations, such as Businesses for Social 
Responsibility, that assist businesses in developing, implementing and 
monitoring codes of conduct.
  Good corporate citizenship is being embraced by more and more 
companies who are realizing that they do not have to sacrifice profits 
for principles. In fact, an article in the January issue of 
WorldBusiness notes that the conference board estimates that at least 
95 percent of Fortune 500 companies now have such codes.
  The time has come to strengthen our international trade and 
investment policies by fostering and rewarding the private sector's 
commitment to human and worker rights as well as environmental 
concerns. In the case of China, it is time to search for new avenues 
for promoting and fostering democracy and human rights. This amendment 
ensures that the constructive engagement with China works.
  While critics of this amendment claim that this is an administrative 
burden on the bank, I believe placing priority on human rights and 
workers' rights is worth the effort. Additionally, in an era of tight 
budgets, should we not be very careful about spending taxpayers' 
dollars?
  My amendment employs economic incentives to reward good corporate 
citizenship. No firms should be precluded from receiving financial 
assistance from the bank for activities in China. Rather, this 
amendment would ensure that the global corporate responsibility is a 
part of the strategy for improving and expanding global partnerships 
and opportunities. It is time that the U.S. invests in an international 
trade and investment policy that is both a competitive and a positive 
force abroad, not just a license to exploit workers and children.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle] is recognized 
for 5 minutes
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 2 minutes.
  I do rise in reluctant opposition to this, because I have a great 
deal of respect for the gentleman who has sponsored it, but I think we 
really need to understand what we are dealing with here. This is not 
just a labor vote per se or anything of that nature. We need to know 
who is opposed to this.
  First of all, the State Department of the administration is opposed 
to this amendment and they state that we encourage companies to adopt 
and implement voluntary codes of conduct for doing business around the 
world. In adopting these voluntary codes of conduct, U.S. companies can 
serve as models, encouraging similar behavior by their partners, 
suppliers and contractors.
  A mandatory, and that is what we are dealing with here, code of 
conduct is impractical and unworkable. It would be virtually impossible 
for Ex-Im Bank to monitor compliance. In China alone, there are more 
than 20,000 United States-China joint ventures.
  Mr. Chairman, we are talking about U.S. firms which might export to 
other countries who have adopted and adhered to a code of conduct for 
their international operations, as what would be in the amendment. That 
code would include workplace safety, workers' union and collective 
bargaining rights, environmental protection, no political coercion of 
workers, community service, good ethical practices, et cetera. These 
are standards which are not even public all through America, much less 
in a lot of countries with which we deal. We basically eliminate a 
substantial percentage of the present work which goes on in the Ex-Im 
Bank.
  At the same time, I think that we are the leaders through the Ex-Im 
Bank in having a lot of these practices put in place in some of these 
other countries for which we deserve credit, but on a voluntary basis, 
not on a mandatory basis. It imposes extraterritorial enforcement of 
U.S. labor and environmental laws, which is a substantive question that 
needs to be raised from a legal point of view. It would impose 
corporate enforcement requirements that would conflict with local laws. 
It imposes standards on non-U.S. firms which supply and contract with 
U.S. firms, and makes U.S. firms liable for contractor/supplier 
conduct.
  As I said, I respect what the gentleman is trying to do and I respect 
the gentleman, but I believe this amendment is out of place. We are not 
making foreign policy here.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, is it my understanding that I have the right 
to close on this amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle] has the right 
to close.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Flake], the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Domestic and International Monetary Policy.
  Mr. FLAKE. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this particular amendment 
because there is no guidance given as to the nature of the preference 
that is required here. The amendment appears to reflect a fundamental 
misconception of the bank's approval process. There is no ranking of 
transactions within which preferences would be invoked.
  This would force Ex-Im Bank to breach its obligations under the full 
faith and credit of the United States, and would subject the United 
States Government to lawsuits. Requiring foreign importers to follow 
U.S. law in their employment practices and other corporate dealings 
constitutes an inappropriate extraterritorial extension of U.S. law. 
Requiring U.S. firms to act as if the U.S. laws applied in China, where 
clearly they do not, both encroaches on the legislative prerogatives of 
the foreign State and puts such U.S. companies at a severe 
disadvantage.
  The amendment places impossible administrative burdens on the bank, 
as it is unable to monitor firms who adhere to such codes. This 
provision would reduce exports to China, thereby worsening the United 
States trade deficit with China overall.
  This provision would result in a loss of trade-related jobs. I ask my 
colleagues in the House to stand opposed to this amendment and defeat 
it.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Oregon [Mr. DeFazio].
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  The arguments are interesting. First off, this gives preference and 
we are being told it would be too difficult for a U.S. agency, for the 
Export-Import Bank, with our tax dollars, to determine preference. 
Well, we do that in many other areas of Federal procurement. I do not 
think that would be too tough to deal with.
  It would put U.S. firms at a severe disadvantage, a severe 
disadvantage if they avoided child-enforced labor. I do not believe 
that for a moment. I do not believe that there are any responsible U.S. 
firms sanctioning the use of child-enforced labor, or discrimination 
based on religion, race, gender and national origin. So I do not 
believe that should put our firms at a disadvantage.
  These are big corporations. They are getting a very nice gift from 
the taxpayers through the Export-Import Bank, and we are saying, in 
return for that, here is a carrot. We will give preference to those 
firms that comply with this code, and that have an audit done 
independently and submit that audit to the Export-Import Bank. All the 
Export-Import Bank staff has to do is look at and verify that the 
independent audit was done. Yes, there will be a little expense in 
doing the audit, but nowhere near the subsidy that is being given to 
those firms by the U.S. taxpayers. It is just to ask some consideration 
for the use of our dollars by these huge corporations, that they follow 
some standards of basic international decency.

  I heard it would worsen the trade deficit. It is not going to worsen 
the trade deficit. The trade deficit with China is going through the 
roof. The goods that are being produced in China that are driving the 
trade deficit through the

[[Page H8202]]

roof are in good part being produced by United States firms in China. 
It is not going to worsen the deficit in any manner.
  There are other problems with our trade policy. The fact that there 
is no reciprocity, the fact that the Chinese levy a 40-percent tariff 
on our goods, when we add in the VAT, and we levy 4 percent on goods 
coming from China, those are the causes of the trade deficit. This 
would not worsen the trade deficit.
  The United States needs to stand for something, and when these 
corporations are getting U.S. taxpayer dollars, we should stand for 
something. We are against child enforced labor. We do not want 
discrimination based on religion, race, gender, and national origin, 
particularly not promoted by United States firms getting subsidies to 
operate in China.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, we have one speaker remaining and we have 
the right to close, so I would yield to the gentleman from Illinois.
  The CHAIRMAN. All time for the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Evans] 
has expired.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield the balance of our time to the 
gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Leach], chairman of the Committee on Banking 
and Financial Services.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Chairman, first let me say I think the gentleman from 
Illinois has a very thoughtful series of concerns which are thoroughly 
valid. However, it would appear, based on administration judgment and 
those of an awful lot of other people on the trade front that the 
results of his approach will be counter-productive.
  What we will have established if this amendment passes is a carrot-
and-stick approach in which the carrots will be given to competitors of 
U.S. businesses and the stick will be given to the U.S. worker. The 
fact of the matter is, as we isolate problems in foreign societies, and 
they are in many countries on many different continents, if our firms 
cannot deal with imperfect buyers, foreign competitors will be happy to 
step in and deal with them themselves. Who then gets the carrot? The 
foreign companies. Who gets the stick? It is the American worker who 
will not have a job to export a given kind of good.
  So I would simply say this is a good, thoughtful, decent perspective 
that the gentleman from Illinois has brought us, but by the same token, 
the end result is probably counter-productive.
  The CHAIRMAN. All time has expired.
  The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from 
Illinois [Mr. Evans].
  The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.
  Mr. EVANS. Mr. Chairman, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 255, further proceedings 
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Evans] 
will be postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.
  It is now in order to consider amendment No. 2 printed in House 
Report 105-282.


         Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Frank of Massachusetts.

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment as 
provided for in the rule.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:

  Amendment No. 2 offered by Mr. Frank of Massachusetts:
       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SEC. 10. COMMUNITY WORK REQUIREMENT FOR MEMBERS OF BOARDS OF 
                   DIRECTORS OF FIRMS RECEIVING ASSISTANCE FROM 
                   THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK.

       Section 2 of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 (12 U.S.C. 
     635) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Community Work Requirement for Members of Boards of 
     Directors of Firms Receiving Assistance From the Bank.--
       ``(1) Prohibition.--The Bank shall not provide assistance 
     to a firm during a fiscal year unless each member of the 
     board of directors of the firm agrees to perform not less 
     than 8 hours of work (other than political activities) during 
     each month of the immediately succeeding fiscal year in the 
     community in which the member resides.
       ``(2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to an 
     individual who is--
       ``(A) at least 62 years of age;
       ``(B) a person with disabilities;
       ``(C) working full time, attending school or vocational 
     training, or otherwise complying with work requirements 
     applicable under public assistance programs (as determined by 
     the agencies or organizations responsible for administering 
     such programs);
       ``(D) otherwise physically impaired, to the extent that the 
     individual is unable to comply with paragraph (1), as 
     certified by a doctor; or
       ``(E) the primary caregiver to a disabled individual or to 
     a child who has not attained 6 years of age.
       ``(3) Person with disabilities defined.--
       As used in paragraph (2)(B), the term `person with 
     disabilities' means a person who--
       ``(A) has a disability as defined in section 223 of the 
     Social Security Act;
       ``(B) is determined, pursuant to regulations issued by the 
     Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, to have a 
     physical, mental, or emotional impairment which--
       ``(i) is expected to be of long-continued and indefinite 
     duration;
       ``(ii) substantially impedes the ability of the person to 
     live independently; and
       ``(iii) is of such a nature that such ability could be 
     improved by more suitable housing conditions; or
       ``(C) has a developmental disability as defined in section 
     102 of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of 
     Rights Act.
       Such term shall not exclude persons who have the disease of 
     acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or any conditions arising 
     from the etiologic agent for acquired immunodeficiency 
     syndrome.''.

  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 255, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Frank] and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. Frank].
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  I rise out of my respect for this institution to give it the 
opportunity to rebut an unfair accusation. There have people who argue 
that a double standard obtains, that when it comes to showing 
compassion for people who have not fared well in life for one reason or 
another, we have tended to be hard-hearted, but that when wealthy and 
powerful people come to our door, we are much more generous.
  Recently this House voted to say that if one lives in public housing, 
if one is simply taking advantage of public housing because one cannot 
live anywhere else, one is paying what the law requires one to pay in 
rent, but because of the subsidy inherent in the rent one pays in 
public housing, if one does not have a job, we will require one to do 8 
hours of community service. Even if one has to be taking care of 
someone who is ill or a child, one will still do 8 hours of community 
service per month.
  Well, I did not agree with that principle, but I believe majority 
should rule and that is the principle the House has adopted. If one is 
getting the benefit of living in public housing and one is not 
otherwise employed, one has to do 8 hours of community service. And to 
show how conciliatory I am, I think the majority's principle ought to 
be applied generally.
  Now, Mr. Chairman, let me ask, if we had to choose between getting 
the guarantee of one's business from the Export-Import Bank to make a 
$100 million sale, or the right to live in Cabrini Green, Chicago, 
which would one pick? My guess is most people would pick exporting with 
a guarantee.
  I disregard that, however. I am willing to treat them equally. My 
amendment takes literally, word for word, the language from the bill 
imposing a community service requirement on people in public housing, 
and it applies that to members of boards of directors who are similarly 
situated if their corporation is getting something from the Export-
Import Bank.

                              {time}  1530

  As I said, because of my respect for this institution, I would not 
want Members to be laboring under the view that when it comes to the 
poor we are hard-hearted and tough, but when it comes to the wealthy we 
roll over and say, here, what do you want? Therefore, I offer this 
amendment to make that no longer the case.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. I will also be 
brief. I

[[Page H8203]]

have tried to point out throughout this discussion today that the 
Export-Import Bank has a very positive financial benefit, not just to 
members of board of directors or officers of corporations, but to many 
employees throughout the country, and even the revenues of the United 
States of America, due to the exports which we have.
  The amendment, if it is to be treated seriously, in my judgment may 
be misplaced. If we are going to have the members of the board of 
directors do community work, why do we not have the stockholders do 
community work? They are the true beneficiaries of whatever this 
particular program may be, or even the workers, it may be argued, if we 
are going to extend it to this group.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. CASTLE. I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I would ask unanimous 
consent to amend the amendment, if the gentleman would be supportive.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I do not translate that as support.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. I apologize for taking the gentleman 
seriously.
  Mr. CASTLE. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, extending it even more, 
we could talk about farmers who receive agricultural subsidies, 
Medicare recipients. There are a whole group of people who for various 
reasons we have elected in Congress to be able to help in some way or 
another, all of which programs are judged on their merits.
  For that reason, I would hope that this is an amendment which could 
be withdrawn. I think the gentleman does make a valid point. I would 
hope that the Eximbank is doing a better job of managing how its 
various loans are handled.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  As I said, I would be prepared to go in to the stockholders as well, 
but obviously, what we have here is a view that when wealthy people are 
involved, we ought not to do anything but simply say, is that enough?
  Yes, it is true that people who are engaged in exporting are decent 
people doing a good thing, and so are people who live in public 
housing. It does not mean that we think these are bad people when we 
impose this requirement. People who live in public housing are decent, 
hard-working people, on the whole, who are taking advantage of this 
program. Public housing, the construction of public housing, the 
payment of these funds, that has a positive effect on the community. So 
it is not a badge of dishonor, I hope, to live in public housing.
  Similarly, the fact that people who are exporting are doing something 
good for the country does not take away the fact that they are 
receiving a significant benefit. The ability to have your exports 
guaranteed to some extent by the Export-Import Bank is important.
  I support the Export-Import Bank. I worked hard in terms of the 
Raytheon Corporation to help them get guarantees that helped them to 
win a $1 billion contract. I was very glad. If in return some members 
of the board of directors would do 8 hours of public service, I think 
it would be a good thing.
  Let me put it this way, we are simply asking people to give back who 
are able-bodied, younger or middle-aged, who have the capacity to give 
something back to the community. How this strikes anybody as 
unreasonable is beyond me. Now, of course, I am quoting the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. Lazio] with regard to public housing tenants.
  I guess the question is, why is it good for the public housing goose 
and not for the export-import gander? Why do we say if you are poor, if 
you are down on your luck and you take advantage of a Federal program 
that we think is overall a good thing, we are going to make you give us 
8 hours of community service, but if you are wealthy enough, respected 
in the community, and you are a member of the board of directors, you 
will be the beneficiary of this for nothing, with no competition?
  Let us have one rule. If the House votes this down, when we get the 
bill back, and let me say this is very relevant, because the other body 
has rejected that 8 hours of community service in that public housing 
bill. Let me say to the Members, I hope people are prepared to have a 
certain degree of consistency. If we are going to reject this for 
people in the Export-Import Bank, let us not impose it on the people in 
public housing.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Texas [Mr. Brady].
  Mr. BRADY. Mr. Chairman, what a silly amendment. People who live in 
public housing often complain they do so because they do not have a 
job, or the job that they have does not pay enough to live in housing 
like many others have the privilege to do. To punish them who are 
trying to get off of welfare and out of public housing by discouraging 
the very jobs that they need is silly.
  Exports now and imports are creating about 40 percent of all new jobs 
in this country. In our area, in the Houston region, and where we have 
a lot of people in public housing, one out of every three new jobs is 
related to export-import, and they may more than domestic jobs. The 
Eximbank levels the playing field for American companies and American 
workers so people in every type of housing have an opportunity to go to 
work.
  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, the failed premise of that last comment is that if we 
ask members of board of directors to do 8 hours of community service, 
they will reject the loan. I reject that. People who serve on the board 
of directors have a responsibility to the stockholders whom they 
represent, they have a fiduciary responsibility.
  I reject the notion that they would be so mean-spirited and so 
unwilling to contribute that if they were told they had to do 8 hours 
of community service, they would refuse the loan.
  I was disappointed, I must say to the gentleman. When he began, 
people who live in public housing, I thought he was going to say people 
who live in public housing should not throw stones. If he had, I think 
it would have been a better argument than the one he made.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle] is recognized 
for 2\1/2\ minutes.
  Mr. CASTLE. Mr. Chairman, I would say that the amendment should be 
defeated. I think it makes a point, but my judgment is that if we carry 
it out to its nth degree, as I pointed out when I first spoke, we would 
have a serious problem with how to deal with this, and to add in all 
the various people who might have to do community work would go too 
far.
  I do not want to denigrate in any way those people who may be in 
public housing or on welfare who have some work requirements placed on 
them, which I have always hoped to be a constructive program in terms 
of helping them develop so they can enter into the workplace. I do not 
treat that as punitive, perhaps as the sponsor of this amendment would. 
I would encourage all of us to take the position that this is not 
something that should be attached to the Exim authorization, and I 
encourage its defeat.
  The CHAIRMAN. All time has expired.
  The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from 
Massachusetts [Mr. Frank].
  The amendment was rejected.


               Privileged Motion Offered by Ms. De Lauro

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I offer a privileged motion.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will report the motion.
  The Clerk read as follows:

       Ms. DeLauro moves that the Committee do now rise.

  The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. DeLauro].
  The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the noes 
appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 162, 
noes 257, not voting 14, as follows:

[[Page H8204]]

                             [Roll No. 471]

                               AYES--162

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Andrews
     Baldacci
     Barrett (WI)
     Becerra
     Berry
     Bishop
     Blumenauer
     Bonior
     Borski
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brown (CA)
     Brown (OH)
     Capps
     Cardin
     Carson
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Condit
     Conyers
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Cummings
     Danner
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     Dellums
     Deutsch
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Dixon
     Doggett
     Edwards
     Engel
     Ensign
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fazio
     Filner
     Ford
     Frank (MA)
     Frost
     Furse
     Gejdenson
     Gephardt
     Gordon
     Green
     Gutierrez
     Hall (OH)
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Hefner
     Hilleary
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hooley
     Hoyer
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     John
     Johnson (WI)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kennelly
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     LaFalce
     Lampson
     Lantos
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lowey
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Markey
     Martinez
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHale
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Menendez
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (CA)
     Mink
     Moakley
     Mollohan
     Moran (VA)
     Murtha
     Neal
     Obey
     Olver
     Owens
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Peterson (MN)
     Pomeroy
     Poshard
     Price (NC)
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Rush
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sawyer
     Schumer
     Serrano
     Shadegg
     Sherman
     Skaggs
     Slaughter
     Smith, Adam
     Snyder
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stark
     Stenholm
     Strickland
     Stupak
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Thompson
     Thurman
     Tierney
     Torres
     Towns
     Turner
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Watt (NC)
     Waxman
     Wexler
     Weygand
     Wise
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Yates

                               NOES--257

     Aderholt
     Archer
     Armey
     Bachus
     Baesler
     Baker
     Ballenger
     Barcia
     Barr
     Barrett (NE)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Bateman
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Blagojevich
     Bliley
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bono
     Boswell
     Brady
     Brown (FL)
     Bryant
     Bunning
     Burton
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cannon
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Chenoweth
     Christensen
     Clay
     Coble
     Collins
     Combest
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Cox
     Crane
     Crapo
     Cubin
     Cunningham
     Davis (VA)
     Deal
     DeLay
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     English
     Everett
     Ewing
     Fawell
     Flake
     Foley
     Forbes
     Fowler
     Fox
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Ganske
     Gekas
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Goode
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Goss
     Graham
     Granger
     Greenwood
     Gutknecht
     Hall (TX)
     Hamilton
     Hansen
     Hastert
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Herger
     Hill
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Holden
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inglis
     Istook
     Jenkins
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson, Sam
     Jones
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MA)
     Kildee
     Kim
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Klug
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     LaHood
     Largent
     Latham
     Lazio
     Leach
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     Livingston
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lucas
     Manton
     Manzullo
     Mascara
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDade
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     Meek
     Metcalf
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Minge
     Moran (KS)
     Morella
     Myrick
     Nethercutt
     Neumann
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Ortiz
     Packard
     Pappas
     Parker
     Paul
     Paxon
     Pease
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pitts
     Pombo
     Porter
     Portman
     Pryce (OH)
     Quinn
     Radanovich
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Redmond
     Regula
     Riggs
     Riley
     Roemer
     Rogan
     Rogers
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Roukema
     Royce
     Ryun
     Sabo
     Salmon
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Saxton
     Scarborough
     Schaefer, Dan
     Schaffer, Bob
     Scott
     Sensenbrenner
     Shaw
     Shays
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Sisisky
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (OR)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith, Linda
     Snowbarger
     Solomon
     Souder
     Spence
     Stearns
     Stokes
     Stump
     Sununu
     Talent
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Thomas
     Thornberry
     Thune
     Tiahrt
     Traficant
     Upton
     Visclosky
     Walsh
     Wamp
     Waters
     Watkins
     Watts (OK)
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     White
     Whitfield
     Wolf
     Young (AK)

                             NOT VOTING--14

     Berman
     Burr
     Coburn
     Delahunt
     Foglietta
     Gonzalez
     LaTourette
     Nadler
     Oxley
     Pallone
     Schiff
     Sessions
     Wicker
     Young (FL)

                              {time}  1556

  Mr. SKAGGS changed his vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
  So the motion was rejected.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.


                  Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Evans

  The CHAIRMAN. The pending business is the demand for a recorded vote 
on the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Evans] on 
which further proceedings were postponed and on which the noes 
prevailed by voice vote.
  The Clerk will redesignate the amendment.
  The Clerk redesignated the amendment.


                             Recorded Vote

  The CHAIRMAN. A recorded vote has been demanded.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 241, 
noes 182, not voting 10, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 472]

                               AYES--241

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Aderholt
     Allen
     Andrews
     Baesler
     Baldacci
     Barcia
     Barrett (WI)
     Becerra
     Berman
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Blumenauer
     Bonior
     Bono
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Bryant
     Bunning
     Burr
     Burton
     Capps
     Cardin
     Carson
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Coburn
     Condit
     Conyers
     Costello
     Cox
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Cummings
     Danner
     Davis (IL)
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dellums
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Dixon
     Doggett
     Doyle
     Duncan
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Engel
     Ensign
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fazio
     Filner
     Forbes
     Ford
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (NJ)
     Frost
     Furse
     Ganske
     Gejdenson
     Gephardt
     Gibbons
     Gilchrest
     Gilman
     Goode
     Goodling
     Green
     Gutierrez
     Hall (OH)
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Hefner
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Holden
     Hooley
     Horn
     Hoyer
     Hunter
     Inglis
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     Jenkins
     Johnson (WI)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones
     Kanjorski
     Kaptur
     Kennedy (MA)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kennelly
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kingston
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Kucinich
     LaFalce
     Lampson
     Lantos
     Largent
     LaTourette
     Levin
     Lewis (GA)
     Lipinski
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manton
     Markey
     Martinez
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McDade
     McGovern
     McHale
     McHugh
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McIntyre
     McKinney
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek
     Menendez
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (CA)
     Minge
     Mink
     Moakley
     Mollohan
     Moran (VA)
     Murtha
     Neal
     Ney
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Owens
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Paul
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Petri
     Pitts
     Pomeroy
     Poshard
     Price (NC)
     Quinn
     Rahall
     Rangel
     Reyes
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Rohrabacher
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Rothman
     Roybal-Allard
     Royce
     Rush
     Sabo
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Scarborough
     Schumer
     Scott
     Serrano
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Sisisky
     Skaggs
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith, Linda
     Souder
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stark
     Stearns
     Strickland
     Stupak
     Talent
     Tauscher
     Taylor (MS)
     Thompson
     Thune
     Thurman
     Tierney
     Torres
     Towns
     Traficant
     Turner
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Vento
     Visclosky
     Wamp
     Waters
     Watt (NC)
     Waxman
     Weller
     Wexler
     Weygand
     Wise
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Yates

                               NOES--182

     Archer
     Armey
     Bachus
     Baker
     Ballenger
     Barr
     Barrett (NE)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Bateman
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berry
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bliley
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Boyd
     Brady
     Buyer
     Callahan
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Cannon
     Castle
     Chabot
     Chambliss
     Chenoweth
     Christensen
     Coble
     Collins
     Combest
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Crane
     Crapo
     Cubin
     Cunningham
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (VA)
     Deal
     DeLay
     Dickey
     Dicks
     Dooley
     Doolittle
     Dreier
     Dunn
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     English
     Everett
     Ewing
     Fawell
     Flake
     Foley
     Fowler
     Fox
     Frelinghuysen
     Gallegly
     Gekas
     Gillmor
     Goodlatte
     Gordon
     Goss
     Graham

[[Page H8205]]


     Granger
     Greenwood
     Gutknecht
     Hall (TX)
     Hamilton
     Hansen
     Hastert
     Hastings (WA)
     Herger
     Hill
     Hilleary
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hostettler
     Houghton
     Hulshof
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Istook
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson, Sam
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kim
     Klug
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     LaHood
     Latham
     Lazio
     Leach
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Livingston
     Lucas
     Manzullo
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDermott
     McKeon
     Metcalf
     Mica
     Miller (FL)
     Moran (KS)
     Morella
     Myrick
     Nethercutt
     Neumann
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oxley
     Packard
     Parker
     Paxon
     Pease
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pombo
     Porter
     Portman
     Pryce (OH)
     Radanovich
     Ramstad
     Redmond
     Regula
     Riggs
     Riley
     Roemer
     Rogan
     Rogers
     Roukema
     Ryun
     Salmon
     Saxton
     Schaefer, Dan
     Schaffer, Bob
     Sensenbrenner
     Shadegg
     Shaw
     Shays
     Skeen
     Smith (OR)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith, Adam
     Snowbarger
     Snyder
     Solomon
     Spence
     Stenholm
     Stump
     Sununu
     Tanner
     Tauzin
     Taylor (NC)
     Thomas
     Thornberry
     Tiahrt
     Walsh
     Watkins
     Watts (OK)
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     White
     Whitfield
     Wicker
     Young (AK)

                             NOT VOTING--10

     Brown (CA)
     Foglietta
     Gonzalez
     Lewis (CA)
     Nadler
     Pallone
     Schiff
     Sessions
     Stokes
     Young (FL)

                              {time}  1613

  Mr. GRAHAM changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no''.
  Messrs. GILCHREST, QUINN, DAVIS of Illinois, and BONO changed their 
vote from ``no'' to ``aye''.
  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  The CHAIRMAN. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3 printed 
in House Report 105-282.


                 Amendment No. 3 Offered by Mr. LaFalce

  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment.
  The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
  The text of the amendment is as follows:
  Amendment No. 3 offered by Mr. LaFalce:
       At the end of the bill, add the following:

     SEC. 10. RENAMING OF BANK AS THE UNITED STATES EXPORT BANK.

       (a) Amendments to the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945.--
       (1) The first section of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 
     (12 U.S.C. 635 note) is amended to read as follows:

     ``SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       ``This Act may be cited as the `United States Export Bank 
     Act of 1945'.''.
       (2) The following provisions of such Act are amended by 
     striking ``Export-Import Bank of the United States'' and 
     inserting ``United States Export Bank'':
       (A) Section 2(a)(1) (12 U.S.C. 635(a)(1)).
       (B) Section 3(a) (12 U.S.C. 635a(a)).
       (C) Section 3(b) (12 U.S.C. 635a(b)).
       (D) Section 3(c)(1) (12 U.S.C. 635a(c)(1)).
       (E) Section 4 (12 U.S.C. 635b).
       (F) Section 5 (12 U.S.C. 635d).
       (G) Section 6(a) (12 U.S.C. 635e(a)).
       (H) Section 7 (12 U.S.C. 635f).
       (I) Section 8(a) (12 U.S.C. 635g(a)).
       (J) Section 9 (12 U.S.C. 635h).
       (3) The following provisions of such Act are amended by 
     striking ``Export-Import Bank'' any place its appears and 
     inserting ``United States Export Bank'':
       (A) Section 2(b)(1)(A) (12 U.S.C. 635(b)(1)(A)).
       (B) Section 3(c)(3) (12 U.S.C. 635a(c)(3)).
       (b) Deeming Rules.--Any reference in any law, map, 
     regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United 
     States to the Export-Import Bank of the United States is 
     deemed to be a reference to the United States Export Bank, 
     and any reference in any law, map, regulation, document, 
     paper, or other record of the United States to the Export-
     Import Bank Act of 1945 is deemed to be a reference to the 
     United States Export Bank Act of 1945.

  The CHAIRMAN. Pursuant to House Resolution 255, the gentleman from 
New York [Mr. LaFalce] and a Member opposed each will control 5 
minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York [Mr. LaFalce].
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, the purpose of my amendment is very simple. It is to 
change the name of the bank so that we could help clarify the function 
and purpose of the bank.
  The amendment would change the name of the bank to the United States 
Export Bank. It would eliminate the confusion that exists as to what 
the bank does. In fact, the bank imports nothing. In fact, the bank 
does not assist in the importation of anything. The bank has not 
imported anything or supported any imports since its very earliest 
days.
  When it was named Eximbank at the time of its chartering, the bank 
sought to support trade with Russia, which at that time did not have 
hard currency. The bank then sought to arrange barter trade with 
Russia, and hence the name Export-Import Bank. That function, though, 
lasted only a few years. For approximately 60 years, since those early 
years, the only function of the Export-Import Bank of the United States 
has been to assist exporting by U.S. businesses.
  My amendment would simply change the name to the United States Export 
Bank, a simple change that Eximbank supports and I believe the chairman 
of the subcommittee and the chairman of the full committee will 
support, also. This name change will clearly indicate that the Bank's 
purpose is to support U.S. exporters and workers whose jobs depend on 
exports.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. LaFalce].
  Mr. Chairman, I could not disagree with my colleague, the gentleman 
from New York [Mr. LaFalce], who stated that this would be a better 
name because it would more clarify what the Export-Import Bank does.
  In fact, I would think that if we want to clarify what the Export-
Import Bank does, it would be better to call it the American Import 
Bank or Subsidy of Foreign Imports into the United States Bank.
  These businesses that are getting subsidized by our tax dollars, they 
are not saying, please subsidize my company so I can go over there and 
sell socks or refrigerators or some type of consumer items. That is a 
total myth that has been perpetuated in this argument, especially in 
arguments concerning trade with China.
  What is happening instead are corporations, by and large, who want to 
set up manufacturing units overseas, especially in dictatorships, I 
might add, like Communist China and Vietnam and elsewhere, go to the 
Export-Import Bank and are receiving guaranteed loans and subsidies in 
order to set up a manufacturing unit, which will take advantage of 
people who have no right to set up unions, no right to protect their 
own interests, standards that are way below those of the United States.
  So we subsidize them, creating a manufacturing unit by using taxpayer 
dollars. And then what happens? Those manufacturing units produce goods 
and services that are imported into the United States.
  Yes, we should clarify that. We should clarify this so that American 
people know their tax dollars are being used to subsidize the 
competition for their own jobs in dictatorships overseas. And, yes, 
there are several companies that, yes, do indeed have their exports 
subsidized. That is in the aerospace industry. There are some 
situations where that exists. I acknowledge that. But that is not the 
majority of what is going on here.
  Even with those loans to the aerospace industry, quite often demands 
are made in those other countries that we set up manufacturing units so 
that part of the airplanes that are being sold in those countries are 
produced in China and elsewhere. So what we end up doing is subsidizing 
the development of industries overseas with our tax dollars.
  This has got to stop. If we want to clarify anything here, it should 
be the U.S. Government should not be subsidizing anybody who is setting 
up a manufacturing unit overseas, especially in dictatorships.
  So let us clarify it, yes, and change the name to not the Export-
Import Bank, but to the bank that subsidizes imports into the United 
States.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from New York [Mr. LaFalce] has 3 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I would merely make the comment that I 
think the gentleman from California [Mr. Rohrabacher] is confused 
between the functions and activities of this Bank and the OPIC, the 
Overseas Private Investment Corp.

[[Page H8206]]

  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I am not confused. And the fact is OPIC does offer 
private insurance for investment overseas. The Export-Import Bank is 
involved with these things as well.
  Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Leach], chairman of the Committee on Banking 
and Financial Services.
  Mr. LEACH. Mr. Chairman, let me just say on behalf of the Committee 
on Banking and Financial Services that I consider this to be a very 
constructive amendment. The new name well-defines the institution that 
we are talking about that is the subject of legislation on the floor 
today.
  I have some pains that the current name, which has such a fine 
general reputation, may go by the boards. But I think this is a very 
constructive and helpful amendment.
  Finally, let me stress as carefully as I can that the currently named 
Export-Import Bank only subsidizes the sales of U.S. goods and services 
abroad. There is no mandate of the bank to construct any kind of 
American company on anybody else's shores. It is simply to support 
goods and services produced in the United States to be sold abroad.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from California [Mr. Rohrabacher] has 
2\1/4\ minutes remaining.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Florida [Mr. Stearns].
  (Mr. STEARNS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, how much timed do I have remaining?
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from New York [Mr. LaFalce] has 2 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from 
Oklahoma [Mr. Watkins].
  (Mr. WATKINS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the LaFalce 
amendment.
  I rise for two reasons. I am from a rural area of the heartland of 
America, and we have not utilized the Export-Import Bank very much. I 
think one of the major things is the confusing name. I think the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. LaFalce] has a change here that might 
improve it.
  I have talked to them at the Export-Import Bank on numerous occasions 
about trying to involve more of the smaller towns, smaller businesses 
and industries across this country. I think a name change would help. I 
think named the United States Export Bank would better describe the 
purpose and activities of the bank.
  Second, I am in support of it because the United States economic 
future is going to depend a great deal on our involvement in exporting. 
In fact, some economists have said that 90 percent of our future 
economic growth has got to come from export trade.
  I think we need to do everything within our power to try to help our 
businesses and industries and agriculture be able to export more, and I 
think this would clarify and encourage economic enterprises to seek 
assistance. By changing the name, it would be less confusing to a lot 
of people out there in the business and agriculture world that want to 
participate in the global economy.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman from California [Mr. Rohrabacher] has 2 
minutes remaining.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, do I have the right to close?
  The CHAIRMAN. The gentleman is not on the committee. The gentleman 
from New York [Mr. LaFalce] has the right to close.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I, of course, philosophically would believe that the 
Federal Government should not be involved in taking our taxpayers' 
dollars and using it for selected companies who are planning to do 
business overseas.
  It is particularly repugnant, Mr. Chairman, for us to be loaning any 
money for people who want to invest in manufacturing units overseas who 
are receiving benefits from not the Export-Import Bank, but from OPIC 
and other government institutions.
  I have two amendments that are coming up on Export-Import Bank, one 
which would prevent the Export-Import Bank from subsidizing the 
People's Liberation Army in China or any other government-owned 
entities and would not permit us to, basically, subsidize business in 
dictatorships.
  But this idea that American business needs to have subsidies in big 
companies in order to sell their products overseas is a misnomer, and 
certainly we need to clarify that. In many, many cases, what we really 
are talking about is instead of subsidizing our exports, trying to make 
it possible facilitating exports. We are actually facilitating the 
building of manufacturing units which uses low-cost labor to ship 
things back into the United States.
  That is why we have such a heinous situation with China. Because our 
people will go over to China, they will build a manufacturing unit 
there with subsidization from the Federal Government, the manufacturing 
unit will then use this basically slave labor over there and import 
these goods at a 3- or 4-percent tariff. The goods over there, however, 
when we want to sell our goods directly in China, there is about a 30- 
or 40-percent tariff when we want to sell our goods over there.
  The most important thing that we could be doing is not subsidizing 
big corporations to the Export-Import Bank, or OPIC, or whatever. 
Instead, what we should be doing is knocking down impediments to our 
people doing business, like, for example, trying to eliminate their 
tariffs.
  So I would oppose this measure. I do believe it does not clarify 
anything.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 45 seconds to the gentleman from 
Florida [Mr. Mica].
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Chairman, I just want to clarify for the House and my 
colleagues that what we heard about Eximbank is not the case. It is not 
subsidizing any foreign manufacturing.
  What it is doing is allowing U.S. companies, the working men and 
women of this country, to be employed to assist in financing the sale 
of U.S. goods overseas. Most of the Exim funds for United States goods 
that go into China are to assist with financing Boeing aircraft, who 
must compete with Airbus and other international competitors. Boeing 
employs thousands of U.S. workers in the United States with the aid of 
this Exim Program.
  I think there is great confusion about what this program does. But in 
fact, Exim does not do the things that are alleged. It allows American 
men and women to get high paying jobs and to compete in the 
international market where we find the opportunities for tomorrow, and 
those are the facts. We can not relegate our next generation to minimum 
wage jobs--we must not back away from supporting U.S. small and large 
business in selling their goods in a tough international marketplace.
  Mr. LaFALCE. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Chairman, I remind all my colleagues that my amendment to change 
the name of the Bank to comport with reality; that is, the United 
States Export Bank, is supported by the Bank and is supported by the 
gentleman from Iowa [Mr. Leach], the chairman of the full committee, 
the gentleman from Delaware [Mr. Castle], chairman of the subcommittee, 
and I hope virtually by all the Members of this body.
  Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The CHAIRMAN. The question is on the amendment offered by the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. LaFalce].
  The question was taken; and the Chairman announced that the ayes 
appeared to have it.


                             Recorded Vote

  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.
  A recorded vote was ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 362, 
noes 56, not voting 15, as follows:

[[Page H8207]]



                             [Roll No. 473]

                               AYES--362

     Abercrombie
     Ackerman
     Allen
     Archer
     Bachus
     Baesler
     Baker
     Baldacci
     Ballenger
     Barcia
     Barrett (NE)
     Barrett (WI)
     Bartlett
     Barton
     Bass
     Bateman
     Becerra
     Bentsen
     Bereuter
     Berman
     Bilbray
     Bilirakis
     Bishop
     Blagojevich
     Bliley
     Blumenauer
     Blunt
     Boehlert
     Boehner
     Bonilla
     Bonior
     Borski
     Boswell
     Boucher
     Boyd
     Brady
     Brown (CA)
     Brown (FL)
     Brown (OH)
     Bryant
     Bunning
     Buyer
     Calvert
     Camp
     Campbell
     Canady
     Capps
     Cardin
     Carson
     Castle
     Chambliss
     Christensen
     Clay
     Clayton
     Clement
     Clyburn
     Coburn
     Collins
     Combest
     Condit
     Conyers
     Cook
     Cooksey
     Costello
     Coyne
     Cramer
     Crane
     Crapo
     Cubin
     Cummings
     Danner
     Davis (FL)
     Davis (IL)
     Deal
     DeGette
     Delahunt
     DeLauro
     Dellums
     Deutsch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dickey
     Dicks
     Dingell
     Dixon
     Doggett
     Dooley
     Doyle
     Dreier
     Dunn
     Edwards
     Ehlers
     Ehrlich
     Emerson
     Engel
     English
     Ensign
     Eshoo
     Etheridge
     Evans
     Everett
     Ewing
     Farr
     Fattah
     Fawell
     Fazio
     Filner
     Flake
     Foglietta
     Foley
     Forbes
     Ford
     Fowler
     Fox
     Frank (MA)
     Franks (NJ)
     Frelinghuysen
     Frost
     Furse
     Gallegly
     Gejdenson
     Gekas
     Gephardt
     Gibbons
     Gillmor
     Gilman
     Goodlatte
     Goodling
     Goss
     Graham
     Granger
     Green
     Greenwood
     Gutierrez
     Gutknecht
     Hall (OH)
     Hamilton
     Hansen
     Harman
     Hastings (FL)
     Hastings (WA)
     Hayworth
     Hefley
     Hefner
     Herger
     Hill
     Hilliard
     Hinchey
     Hinojosa
     Hobson
     Hoekstra
     Hooley
     Horn
     Hostettler
     Hoyer
     Hulshof
     Hunter
     Hutchinson
     Hyde
     Inglis
     Istook
     Jackson (IL)
     Jackson-Lee (TX)
     Jefferson
     John
     Johnson (CT)
     Johnson (WI)
     Johnson, E. B.
     Jones
     Kaptur
     Kasich
     Kelly
     Kennedy (MA)
     Kennedy (RI)
     Kennelly
     Kildee
     Kilpatrick
     Kim
     Kind (WI)
     King (NY)
     Kleczka
     Klink
     Klug
     Knollenberg
     Kolbe
     Kucinich
     LaFalce
     LaHood
     Lampson
     Lantos
     Latham
     LaTourette
     Lazio
     Leach
     Levin
     Lewis (CA)
     Lewis (GA)
     Lewis (KY)
     Linder
     Lipinski
     Livingston
     LoBiondo
     Lofgren
     Lowey
     Luther
     Maloney (CT)
     Maloney (NY)
     Manton
     Manzullo
     Markey
     Martinez
     Mascara
     Matsui
     McCarthy (MO)
     McCarthy (NY)
     McCollum
     McCrery
     McDade
     McDermott
     McGovern
     McHale
     McHugh
     McIntyre
     McKeon
     McNulty
     Meehan
     Meek
     Menendez
     Metcalf
     Mica
     Millender-McDonald
     Miller (CA)
     Miller (FL)
     Minge
     Mollohan
     Moran (KS)
     Moran (VA)
     Morella
     Murtha
     Myrick
     Neal
     Ney
     Northup
     Norwood
     Nussle
     Oberstar
     Obey
     Olver
     Ortiz
     Owens
     Oxley
     Pappas
     Parker
     Pascrell
     Pastor
     Payne
     Pease
     Peterson (MN)
     Peterson (PA)
     Petri
     Pickering
     Pickett
     Pitts
     Pomeroy
     Porter
     Portman
     Poshard
     Price (NC)
     Pryce (OH)
     Quinn
     Rahall
     Ramstad
     Redmond
     Regula
     Reyes
     Riggs
     Riley
     Rivers
     Rodriguez
     Roemer
     Rogers
     Ros-Lehtinen
     Rothman
     Roukema
     Roybal-Allard
     Rush
     Ryun
     Sabo
     Salmon
     Sanchez
     Sanders
     Sandlin
     Sanford
     Sawyer
     Saxton
     Schumer
     Scott
     Sensenbrenner
     Serrano
     Sessions
     Shaw
     Shays
     Sherman
     Shimkus
     Shuster
     Sisisky
     Skaggs
     Skeen
     Skelton
     Slaughter
     Smith (MI)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (OR)
     Smith (TX)
     Smith, Adam
     Snowbarger
     Souder
     Spence
     Spratt
     Stabenow
     Stark
     Stenholm
     Stokes
     Strickland
     Stupak
     Sununu
     Talent
     Tanner
     Tauscher
     Tauzin
     Taylor (MS)
     Taylor (NC)
     Thomas
     Thompson
     Thornberry
     Thurman
     Tiahrt
     Tierney
     Torres
     Towns
     Turner
     Upton
     Velazquez
     Visclosky
     Walsh
     Waters
     Watkins
     Watt (NC)
     Watts (OK)
     Waxman
     Weldon (FL)
     Weldon (PA)
     Weller
     Wexler
     Weygand
     White
     Wicker
     Wise
     Wolf
     Woolsey
     Wynn
     Yates
     Young (AK)

                                NOES--56

     Aderholt
     Andrews
     Armey
     Barr
     Berry
     Bono
     Burr
     Burton
     Callahan
     Cannon
     Chabot
     Coble
     Cox
     Davis (VA)
     DeFazio
     DeLay
     Doolittle
     Duncan
     Ganske
     Goode
     Hall (TX)
     Hastert
     Hilleary
     Houghton
     Jenkins
     Johnson, Sam
     Kanjorski
     Kingston
     Largent
     McInnis
     McIntosh
     McKinney
     Mink
     Nethercutt
     Neumann
     Packard
     Paul
     Paxon
     Pombo
     Radanovich
     Rogan
     Rohrabacher
     Royce
     Scarborough
     Schaefer, Dan
     Schaffer, Bob
     Shadegg
     Snyder
     Solomon
     Stearns
     Stump
     Thune
     Traficant
     Vento
     Wamp
     Whitfield

                             NOT VOTING--15

     Chenoweth
     Cunningham
     Gilchrest
     Gonzalez
     Gordon
     Holden
     Lucas
     Moakley
     Nadler
     Pallone
     Pelosi
     Rangel
     Schiff
     Smith, Linda
     Young (FL)

                              {time}  1649

  Mr. PAXON changed his vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
  Mr. NUSSLE and Mr. RILEY changed their vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
  So the amendment was agreed to.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.

                          ____________________