[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[House]
[Page 8263]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   SUPPORTING THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

  (Mr. CICILLINE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, the Export-Import Bank is a critical 
resource for small- and medium-sized businesses in Rhode Island's First 
Congressional District and all across this country.
  In fact, over the last 8 years, the Ex-Im Bank has provided more than 
$20 million in insured shipments, guaranteed credit, or disbursed loans 
for companies in my district, enabling them to export products valued 
at nearly $50 million.
  The Ex-Im Bank provides financing that enables these companies to 
access foreign markets, compete in the global economy, and create good-
paying jobs here in America. American jobs are supported by the Ex-Im 
Bank, 164,000 American jobs. It generated $675 million for the 
taxpayers in 2014, and the default rate for the Ex-Im Bank was less 
than one-fifth of 1 percent, 0.175 percent.
  Support for the reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank is bipartisan. 180 
Democrats have signed a discharge petition to force a vote on 
reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank before it expires on June 30, and many 
Republicans have publicly supported reauthorization.
  I have had the opportunity to meet with companies in my district that 
rely on the Ex-Im Bank, companies like the Cooley Group in Pawtucket 
that designs, develops, and manufactures a diversified industry-leading 
portfolio of premier engineered coated fabrics used across an array of 
industrial, commercial, and military applications.
  This issue is too important for the usual partisan politics that 
Washington has grown used to. We need to stand up for small- and 
medium-sized companies and reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank before the end of 
this month.

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