[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 7, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2662-S2663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                              Nominations

  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I come to the floor today to speak in 
favor of confirming the three nominees before us for the Board of 
Directors at the U.S. Export-Import Bank. All three of these nominees 
are well qualified, with years of experience in relevant fields, and 
all three have received support from Democrats and Republicans. In 
fact, all three advanced out of the Banking Committee earlier this 
Congress by a voice vote.
  We must confirm these nominees to ensure that the Export-Import Bank 
is once again fully operational. It is critical for jobs and for our 
economy, not just in my home State of Washington but throughout the 
United States.
  I believe in an export economy. I believe the United States of 
America manufactures and makes great products, and we should be 
shipping them around the globe to customers in a growing middle class. 
To do that, we have to have a functioning export credit agency that 
works with the private sector as a tool to get more of our products to 
markets where that kind of banking and assistance does not exist. If 
the United States fails to participate here, customers receive products 
from other countries--other countries that may not necessarily want 
that foreign product over our U.S. product, but clearly the foreign 
export credit agency support by creates an incentive for them to 
purchase other products.
  Since 2015, the Bank has not been fully operational due to the lack 
of a quorum on the Board of Directors.
  I am not going to go into a lot of why that has happened. I will just 
say that if you truly believe in an export economy, you believe in 
having a credit agency, such as the Export-Import Bank, existing as a 
fundamental tool.
  Basically what it has meant is that, with a lack of Board of 
Directors, we have not been able to approve financing transactions over 
$10 million--a situation that has left nearly $40 billion in limbo. 
That is $40 billion worth of American exports unable to reach those new 
markets and new customers. That is $40 billion worth of exports 
supporting high-paying American jobs and economic output held hostage 
every day that the Bank is not fully operational.
  According to the National Association of Manufacturers, since the Ex-
Im Bank lost its quorum in 2015, American manufacturers have lost 
billions of dollars of sales, which meant the loss of at least 80,000 
American jobs in manufacturing in 2016 and 2017 and a loss of at least 
$119 billion in economic output.
  Trust me, as I have followed this issue from U.S. equipment to 
impacts to GE and to other companies, I have seen people lose business 
simply because we haven't had a functioning credit agency to take the 
best valued product--that is, some of the most high-priced U.S. 
manufacturing product--and help get it to overseas markets.
  At least 95 percent of the world customers live outside the United 
States, and every day that the Export-Import Bank is not fully 
operational, American manufacturers and small businesses lose 
opportunities. These opportunities are lost throughout our country, 
from Mack Trucks losing out on an opportunity to export Pennsylvania-
manufactured vehicles to Cameroon, to the aerospace industry in my 
State losing out on a commercial satellite deal in Asia, to impacts on 
small businesses in the supply chain.
  Losing these opportunities means losing high-paying American jobs. In 
fiscal year 2013, when the Bank was fully operational, it supported 
nearly 39,000 jobs in my State of Washington and over 200,000 in the 
United States. In fiscal year 2018, without a quorum, the Bank only 
supported 650 jobs in Washington and only 33,000 nationwide. That is a 
decrease of nearly 84 percent. So we need to take action. Every day 
that the Bank is not fully operational, American businesses lose ground 
to their competitors.
  I believe American businesses are some of the best in the world. They 
make great products, and they can compete on any stage with other 
countries. But without the Export-Import Bank, there is simply not a 
level playing field.

[[Page S2663]]

  There are more than 100 other export credit agencies worldwide 
helping foreign companies reach new markets. Without the Export-Import 
Bank, American companies are forced to sit on the sideline and watch as 
other countries fill that void. In fact, China has done more export 
financing in the last 3 years than the Export-Import Bank has done in 
its 85-year history. What does that mean? It means that if other 
countries continue to use credit support financing as a tool to help 
products reach markets and the United States doesn't, they will have an 
unfair advantage.
  So it is not only time to confirm these nominees to ensure the 
Export-Import Bank is fully functional, it is also important to make 
sure we have a functioning Export-Import Bank. With its authorization 
set to expire in September, we need to reauthorize the Export-Import 
Bank so it can continue to provide new financing that supports American 
jobs and American exporters.
  For many U.S. companies, the Export-Import Bank guarantees financing 
in emerging markets where private financing is very difficult or 
impossible to obtain. These tools have been essential. For example, 
Spokane-based SCAFCO makes grain storage bins, silos, and other 
agricultural processing and storage equipment. It sells its product to 
more than 80 markets around the world. We are very proud of that 
company and what they have achieved. Financing from the Export-Import 
Bank helped SCAFCO sell a grain storage system to Cambodia. Cambodia is 
normally a very tough market for U.S. businesses to reach, but thanks 
to the Export-Import Bank, SCAFCO was able to make the sale.
  The Senate should not be in the business of making it harder for U.S. 
companies to compete; we should be making it easier for them to 
compete. We should not be putting American companies at a disadvantage 
and costing American jobs. It is time to recognize that in order to 
compete in a 21st-century global economy where there is huge growth and 
economic opportunity outside of the United States, we have to have a 
very aggressive export strategy.
  I hope my colleagues will not only help us get these nominees finally 
to support a functioning Export-Import Bank, but they will also work 
very collaboratively to make sure the Bank does not expire again this 
September.


                              S. Res. 144

  Mr. President, I would like to turn to another subject. My colleague, 
Senator Udall from New Mexico, was out here earlier, I believe--or 
maybe he is coming later this afternoon--to remember the honoring this 
past Sunday of the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered 
Native Women and Girls. This is an important day to recognize because 
this has become an epidemic in the United States.
  Last year, the Seattle Indian Health Board released a report that 
examined the number of murdered and missing Native women in urban 
areas, where 71 percent of Native Indians and Alaska Natives reside. 
These are urban centers in which they found at least 506 cases of 
missing or murdered indigenous women and girls in 71 cities. One 
hundred and twenty-eight were missing, and 280 were murdered.
  The report found that Washington State has one of the highest number 
of cases of murdered and missing Native American women. Two of my 
State's largest cities--Seattle and Tacoma--are in the top 10 
nationwide of cities with the highest number of cases. Seattle ranks 
No. 1.
  We are experiencing this crisis, and it is time that this report be a 
wake-up call to action. We can no longer ignore these huge numbers. We 
need to find answers.
  One of the answers is in the legislation sponsored by my colleague, 
Senator Murkowski from Alaska, Savanna's Act, which will improve the 
response of local, State, and Federal-Tribal enforcement in cases of 
missing and murdered Tribal women and girls. This is so important, and 
that is why I have joined Senator Murkowski and Senator Cortez Masto as 
a cosponsor of this legislation and am urging that the Senate pass it 
immediately.
  Right now, hours and days can be wasted in responding to this. 
Savanna's Act will streamline the protocols and process between our 
Tribes and law enforcement agencies, which will mean swifter action and 
a more rapid pace.
  Why am I bringing this up now? I know we also have to reauthorize the 
Violence Against Women Act, but this legislation has good bipartisan 
support in the Senate. We can pass this legislation very soon and send 
it over to the House of Representatives. That way, it will be ready to 
be put into the hands of our law enforcement, if it passes and goes to 
the President's desk for signature--a tool that can be used now, not 
delayed another 7 or 8 months until we get the reauthorization of the 
Violence Against Women Act.
  I thank my former colleague, Senator Heitkamp, for trying to push 
this legislation at the end of the last congressional session. I hope 
my colleagues will realize that the great bipartisan support that 
existed in the Senate to move this legislation still exists. What is 
different now is a House of Representatives that is very willing to 
take up and pass Savanna's Act, and we should do that as soon as 
possible.
  I thank the Presiding Officer.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Ms. WARREN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The Senator from Massachusetts.