[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10326]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

  (Mr. WALZ asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WALZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise with my colleagues who have spoken 
before in support of the Export-Import Bank, which is an absolutely 
vital tool that helps businesses of all sizes compete in the world 
market.
  It does this not by competing with private sector lenders, but by 
partnering with them. The Bank fills gaps and provides loans to folks 
that the private sector is often unwilling or often unable to provide, 
and it costs the taxpayers nothing. In fact, since 1990, it has 
generated $7 billion in deficit reduction.
  The Export-Import Bank is overwhelmingly supported by Republicans and 
Democrats; business groups, like the Chamber of Commerce; and labor, 
like the AFL-CIO. Presidents Eisenhower, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, and 
Obama have all been on board.
  It sure seems like a commonsense measure, right? I think we have all 
learned in this Congress that a small, vocal extremist minority can 
derail the most bipartisan measures. Unfortunately, this is exactly 
what is happening.
  I ask you, Speaker Boehner, to not allow that small, vocal extreme 
minority derail a very good program. That is not the way our government 
is supposed to work.
  Southern Minnesota is working, too. Businesses like Davisco, 
Fastenal, and AGCO all rely on the Bank. The last thing they need is 
for Congress to get in the way and stop the growth, putting their 
prosperity at risk.
  Speaker Boehner, all we are asking for is a simple thing. Bring it to 
the floor, and let us vote. If it passes, America is better off.

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