The Export-Import Bank of the United States shall constitute an independent agency of the United States and neither the Bank nor any of its functions, powers, or duties shall be transferred to or consolidated with any other department, agency, or corporation of the Government unless the Congress shall otherwise by law provide.

There shall be a President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, who shall be appointed by the President of the United States by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and who shall serve as chief executive officer of the Bank. There shall be a First Vice President of the Bank, who shall be appointed by the President of the United States by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall serve as President of the Bank during the absence or disability of or in the event of a vacancy in the office of President of the Bank, and who shall at other times perform such functions as the President of the Bank may from time to time prescribe.

(1) There shall be a Board of Directors of the Bank consisting of the President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, who shall serve as Chairman, the First Vice President who shall serve as Vice Chairman, and three additional persons appointed by the President of the United States by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(2) Of the five members of the Board, not more than three shall be members of any one political party.

(3) Omitted

(4) Before entering upon his duties, each of the directors shall take an oath faithfully to discharge the duties of his office.

(5) The directors, in addition to their duties as members of the Board, shall perform such additional duties and may hold such other offices in the administration of the Bank as the President of the Bank may from time to time prescribe.

(6) A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of at least three members.

(7) The Board of Directors shall adopt, and may from time to time amend, such bylaws as are necessary for the proper management and functioning of the Bank, and shall, in such bylaws, designate the vice presidents and other officers of the Bank and prescribe their duties.

(8)(A) The terms of the directors, including the President and the First Vice President of the Bank, appointed under this section shall be four years, except that—

(i) during their terms of office, the directors shall serve at the pleasure of the President of the United States;

(ii) the term of any director appointed after November 30, 1983, to serve before January 20, 1985, shall expire on January 20, 1985;

(iii) of the directors first appointed to serve beginning on or after January 21, 1985, two directors (other than the President and First Vice President of the Bank) shall be appointed for terms of two years, as designated by the President of the United States at the time of their appointment; and

(iv) any director first appointed to serve for a term beginning on any date after January 21, 1985, shall serve only for the remainder of the period for which such director would have been appointed if such director's term had begun on January 21, 1985. If such term would have expired before the date on which such director's term actually begins, the term of such director shall be the four-year period, or remainder thereof, as if such director had been preceded by a director whose term had begun on January 21, 1985.

(B) Of the five members of the Board appointed by the President, not less than one such member shall be selected from among the small business community and shall represent the interests of small business.

(C) Any person chosen to fill a vacancy shall be appointed only for the unexpired term of the director whom such person succeeds.

(D) Any director whose term has expired may be reappointed.

(E) Any director whose term has expired may continue to serve on the Board of Directors until the earlier of—

(i) the date on which such director's successor is qualified; or

(ii) the end of the 6-month period beginning on the date such director's term expires.

(9) At the request of any 2 members of the Board of Directors, the Chairman of the Board shall place an item pertaining to the policies or procedures of the Bank on the agenda for discussion by the Board. Within 30 days after the date such a request is made, the Chairman shall hold a meeting of the Board at which the item shall be discussed.

(1)(A) There is established an Advisory Committee to consist of 17 members who shall be appointed by the Board of Directors on the recommendation of the President of the Bank.

(B) Such members shall be broadly representative of environment, production, commerce, finance, agriculture, labor, services, and State government.

(2)(A) Not less than three members appointed to the Advisory Committee shall be representative of the small business community.

(B) Not less than 2 members appointed to the Advisory Committee shall be representative of the labor community, except that no 2 representatives of the labor community shall be selected from the same labor union.

(C) Not less than 2 members appointed to the Advisory Committee shall be representative of the environmental nongovernmental organization community, except that no 2 of the members shall be from the same environmental organization.

(3) The Advisory Committee shall meet at least once each quarter.

(4) The Advisory Committee shall advise the Bank on its programs, and shall submit, with the report specified in section 635(b)(1)(A) of this title, its own comments to the Congress on the extent to which the Bank is meeting its mandate to provide competitive financing to expand United States exports, and any suggestions for improvements in this regard.

(1) No director, officer, attorney, agent, or employee of the Bank shall in any manner, directly or indirectly, participate in the deliberation upon or the determination of any question affecting such individual's personal interests, or the interests of any corporation, partnership or association in which such individual is directly or indirectly personally interested.

(2) The General Counsel of the Bank shall ensure that the directors, officers, and employees of the Bank have available appropriate legal counsel for advice on, and oversight of, issues relating to personnel matters and other administrative law matters by designating an attorney to serve as Assistant General Counsel for Administration, whose duties, under the supervision of the General Counsel, shall be concerned solely or primarily with such issues.

There is established a Small Business Division (in this subsection referred to as the “Division”) within the Bank in order to—

(A) carry out the provisions of subparagraphs (E) and (I) of section 635(b)(1) of this title relating to outreach, feedback, product improvement, and transaction advocacy for small business concerns (as defined in section 632(a) of title 15);

(B) advise and seek feedback from small business concerns on the opportunities and benefits for small business concerns in the financing products offered by the Bank, with particular emphasis on conducting outreach, enhancing the tailoring of products to small business needs and increasing loans to small business concerns;

(C) maintain liaison with the Small Business Administration and other departments and agencies in matters affecting small business concerns; and

(D) provide oversight of the development, implementation, and operation of technology improvements to strengthen small business outreach, including the technology improvement required by section 635(b)(1)(E)(x) of this title.

The President of the Bank shall appoint an officer, who shall rank not lower than senior vice president and whose sole executive function shall be to manage the Division. The officer shall—

(A) have substantial recent experience in financing exports by small business concerns; and

(B) advise the Board, particularly the director appointed under subsection (c)(8)(B) to represent the interests of small business, on matters of interest to, and concern for, small business.

The President of the Bank shall ensure that each operating division within the Bank has staff that specializes in processing transactions that primarily benefit small business concerns (as defined in section 632(a) of title 15).

The small business specialists shall be involved in all aspects of processing applications for loans, guarantees, and insurance to support exports by small business concerns, including the approval or disapproval, or staff recommendations of approval or disapproval, as applicable, of such applications. In carrying out these responsibilities, the small business specialists shall consider the unique business requirements of small businesses and shall develop exporter performance criteria tailored to small business exporters.

In an effort to maximize the speed and efficiency with which the Bank processes transactions primarily benefitting small business concerns, the small business specialists shall be authorized to approve applications for working capital loans and guarantees, and insurance in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Board. It is the sense of Congress that the policies and procedures should not prohibit, where appropriate, small business specialists from approving applications for working capital loans and guarantees, and for insurance, in support of exports which have a value of less than $10,000,000.

The Bank shall prominently identify the small business specialists on its website and in promotional material.

The evaluation of staff designated by the President of the Bank under paragraph (1), including annual reviews of performance of duties related to transactions in support of exports by small business concerns, and any resulting recommendations for salary adjustments, promotions, and other personnel actions, shall address the criteria established pursuant to subsection (h)(2)(B)(iii) and shall be conducted by the manager of the relevant operating division following consultation with the officer appointed to manage the Small Business Division pursuant to subsection (f)(2).

Staff recommendations of denial or withdrawal for medium-term applications, exporter held multi-buyer policies, single buyer policies, and working capital applications processed by the Bank shall be transmitted to the officer appointed to manage the Small Business Division pursuant to subsection (f)(2) not later than 2 business days before a final decision.

Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed to prevent the delegation to the Division of any authority necessary to carry out subparagraphs (E) and (I) of section 635(b)(1) of this title.

There is established a management committee to be known as the “Small Business Committee”.

The purpose of the Small Business Committee shall be to coordinate the Bank's initiatives and policies with respect to small business concerns (as defined in section 632(a) of title 15), including the timely processing and underwriting of transactions involving direct exports by small business concerns, and the development and coordination of efforts to implement new or enhanced Bank products and services pertaining to small business concerns.

The duties of the Small Business Committee shall be determined by the President of the Bank and shall include the following:

(i) Assisting in the development of the Bank's small business strategic plans, including the Bank's plans for carrying out section 635(b)(1)(E) (v) and (x) of this title, and measuring and reporting in writing to the President of the Bank, at least once a year, on the Bank's progress in achieving the goals set forth in the plans.

(ii) Evaluating and reporting in writing to the President of the Bank, at least once a year, with respect to—

(I) the performance of each operating division of the Bank in serving small business concerns;

(II) the impact of processing and underwriting standards on transactions involving direct exports by small business concerns; and

(III) the adequacy of the staffing and resources of the Small Business Division.

(iii) Establishing criteria for evaluating the performance of staff designated by the President of the Bank under subsection (g)(1).

(iv) Coordinating the provision of services with other United States Government departments and agencies to small business concerns.

The Chairperson of the Small Business Committee shall be the officer appointed to manage the Small Business Division pursuant to subsection (f)(2). The Chairperson shall have the authority to call meetings of the Small Business Committee, set the agenda for Committee meetings, and request policy recommendations from the Committee's members.

Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the President of the Bank shall determine the composition of the Small Business Committee, and shall appoint or remove the members of the Small Business Committee. In making such appointments, the President of the Bank shall ensure that the Small Business Committee is comprised of—

(i) the senior managing officers responsible for underwriting and processing transactions; and

(ii) other officers and employees of the Bank with responsibility for outreach to small business concerns and underwriting and processing transactions that involve small business concerns.

The Chairperson shall provide to the President of the Bank minutes of each meeting of the Small Business Committee, including any recommendations by the Committee or its individual members.

The President of the Bank shall establish in the Small Business Division an office whose sole functions shall be to continue and enhance the outreach activities of the Bank with respect to, and increase the total amount of loans, guarantees, and insurance provided by the Bank to support exports by, socially and economically disadvantaged small business concerns (as defined in section 637(a)(4) of title 15) and small business concerns owned by women.

The office shall be managed by a Bank officer of appropriate rank who shall report to the Bank officer designated under subsection (f)(2).

To the maximum extent practicable, the President of the Bank shall ensure that qualified minority and women applicants are considered when filling any position in the office.

(July 31, 1945, ch. 341, §3, 59 Stat. 527; Aug. 9, 1954, ch. 660, §1, 68 Stat. 677; Pub. L. 90–267, §1(a), (d), Mar. 13, 1968, 82 Stat. 47, 49; Pub. L. 98–181, title VI, §§613, 614(a), 620(b), Nov. 30, 1983, 97 Stat. 1255, 1261; Pub. L. 99–472, §18, Oct. 15, 1986, 100 Stat. 1205; Pub. L. 102–429, title I, §113, Oct. 21, 1992, 106 Stat. 2195; Pub. L. 105–121, §§6, 8, Nov. 26, 1997, 111 Stat. 2529, 2530; Pub. L. 106–46, §1(a), Aug. 11, 1999, 113 Stat. 227; Pub. L. 107–189, §24(b)(4), June 14, 2002, 116 Stat. 709; Pub. L. 109–438, §§6(a), 14(a), 15, 18(a), Dec. 20, 2006, 120 Stat. 3270, 3280, 3281.)

Provisions of subsecs. (b) and (c)(3) of this section, which prescribed the annual compensation of the President, the First Vice President, and other members of the Board of Directors, were omitted to conform to the provisions of the Executive Schedule. See sections 5314 and 5315 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

**2006**—Subsec. (c)(9). Pub. L. 109–438, §15, added par. (9).

Subsec. (d)(1)(A). Pub. L. 109–438, §18(a)(1)(A), substituted “17” for “15”.

Subsec. (d)(1)(B). Pub. L. 109–438, §18(a)(1)(B), inserted “environment,” before “production,”.

Subsec. (d)(2)(C). Pub. L. 109–438, §18(a)(2), added subpar. (C).

Subsecs. (f) to (h). Pub. L. 109–438, §6(a), added subsecs. (f) to (h).

Subsec. (i). Pub. L. 109–438, §14(a), added subsec. (i).

**2002**—Subsec. (d)(2)(B). Pub. L. 107–189 realigned margins.

**1999**—Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 106–46 amended par. (6) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (6) read as follows: “A majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.”

**1997**—Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 105–121, §8, designated existing provisions as subpar. (A) and added subpar. (B).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–121, §6, designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

**1992**—Subsec. (d)(1)(A). Pub. L. 102–429 substituted “15 members” for “twelve members”.

**1986**—Subsec. (c)(8)(E). Pub. L. 99–472 added subpar. (E).

**1983**—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–81, §614(a), designated first through seventh sentences as pars. (1) through (7), respectively, substituted “The” for “Terms of the directors shall be at the pleasure of the President of the United States, and the” at beginning of par. (5) as so designated, and added par. (8).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98–181, §613, amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment subsec. (d) read as follows: “There shall be an Advisory Committee of nine members, appointed by the Board of Directors on the recommendation of the President of the Bank, who shall be broadly representative of production, commerce, finance, agriculture and labor. The Advisory Committee shall meet one or more times per year, on the call of the President of the Bank, to advise with the Bank on its program. Members, not otherwise in the regular full-time employ of the United States, may be compensated at rates not exceeding the per diem equivalent of the rate for grade 18 of the General Schedule (5 U.S.C. 5332) for each day spent in travel or attendance at meetings of the Committee, and while so serving away from their homes or regular places of business, they may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for individuals in the Government service employed intermittently.”

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 98–181, §620(b), substituted “such individual's” for “his” and “such individual” for “he”.

**1968**—Subsecs. (a) to (c). Pub. L. 90–267, §1(a), changed name of “Export-Import Bank of Washington” to “Export-Import Bank of the United States”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 90–267, §1(d), substituted provisions for compensation of members, not otherwise in the regular full-time employ of the United States, at rates not exceeding the per diem equivalent of the rate for grade 18 of the General Schedule for each day spent in travel or attendance at meetings of the Committee, and for allowance of travel expenses, when serving away from home or regular place of business, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for individuals in the Government service employed intermittently for former provisions for allowance for attendance at meetings and travel expenses of $50 and $10, respectively.

**1954**—Act Aug. 9, 1954, amended section generally to provide for the independent management of the Bank under a Board of Directors and for the appointment of a President and First Vice President of the Bank.

Section 4 of act Aug. 9, 1954, provided that: “The provisions of this Act for the appointment of a President and a First Vice President of the Bank and the members of the Board of Directors shall be effective upon its enactment [Aug. 9, 1954]. The remaining provisions of this Act shall become effective when the President and First Vice President of the Bank and one other member of the Board of Directors initially appointed hereunder enter upon office, and shall thereupon supersede Reorganization Plan No. 5 of 1953 [set out below].”

Pub. L. 107–189, §10(a), June 14, 2002, 116 Stat. 702, provided that:

“(1)

“(2)

Pub. L. 106–46, §1(b), Aug. 11, 1999, 113 Stat. 227, as amended by Pub. L. 106–62, §122, Sept. 30, 1999, 113 Stat. 509; Pub. L. 106–85, Oct. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1297; Pub. L. 106–88, Nov. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 1304; Pub. L. 106–94, Nov. 10, 1999, 113 Stat. 1311; Pub. L. 106–105, Nov. 18, 1999, 113 Stat. 1484; Pub. L. 106–106, Nov. 19, 1999, 113 Stat. 1485, provided that: “Notwithstanding section 3(c)(6) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 [12 U.S.C. 635a(c)(6)], if, during the period that begins on July 21, 1999, and ends on December 2, 1999, there are fewer than three persons holding office on the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the entire membership of such Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum until the end of such period.”

Pub. L. 102–429, title I, §117, Oct. 21, 1996, 106 Stat. 2196, provided that:

“[(a) Repealed. Pub. L. 102–429, title I, §117(b), Oct. 21, 1996, 106 Stat. 2196.]

“(b)

“(c)

“(1) the recruitment and employee retention problems of the Bank;

“(2) any relief from such problems afforded by the Office of Personnel Management;

“(3) any use of the authority provided in subsection (a); and

“(4) the conclusions and recommendations of the Bank with respect to—

“(A) whether such problems have been satisfactorily addressed; and

“(B) whether or not the authority of subsection (a) should be extended.”

[Pub. L. 111–117, div. F, title VI, Dec. 16, 2009, 123 Stat. 3341, provided in part: “That notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 117 of the Export Enhancement Act of 1992 [Pub. L. 102–429, set out above], subsection (a) thereof shall remain in effect until October 1, 2010.”]

[Prior similar extensions of section 117(a) of Pub. L. 102–429 were contained in the following acts:

[Pub. L. 111–8, div. H, title VI, Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 859.

[Pub. L. 110–161, div. J, title II, Dec. 26, 2007, 121 Stat. 2290.

[Pub. L. 109–102, title I, Nov. 14, 2005, 119 Stat. 2173.

[Pub. L. 108–447, div. D, title I, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2969.

[Pub. L. 108–199, div. D, title I, Jan. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 143.

[Pub. L. 108–7, div. E, title I, Feb. 20, 2003, 117 Stat. 160.

[Pub. L. 107–115, title I, Jan. 10, 2002, 115 Stat. 2119.

[Pub. L. 106–429, §101(a) [title I], Nov. 6, 2000, 114 Stat. 1900, 1900A–4.

[Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(2) [title I], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–64.

[Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, §101(d) [title I], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–150, 2681–151.

[Pub. L. 105–118, title I, Nov. 26, 1997, 111 Stat. 2387.

[Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title I, §101(c) [title I], Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–121, 3009–122.

[Pub. L. 104–107, title I, Feb. 12, 1996, 110 Stat. 705.

[Pub. L. 103–306, title IV, Aug. 23, 1994, 108 Stat. 1623.]

Section 118 of Pub. L. 102–429 directed Export-Import Bank, not later than 1 year after Oct. 21, 1992, to submit a report to Congress on the Bank's plan to establish and operate regional offices.

Section 614(b) of Pub. L. 98–181 provided that: “In order to carry out the amendment made by subsection (a) regarding section 3(c)(8)(B) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 [subsec. (c)(8)(B) of this section], the first member, other than a member who will serve as Chairman or Vice Chairman of the Bank, appointed by the President of the United States to the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States after the date of the enactment of this section [Nov. 30, 1983] shall be selected from among the small business community and shall represent the interests of small business.”

A Board of Directors and an Advisory Committee reestablished for the Export-Import Bank of Washington, see note set out under section 635 of this title.

Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See section 14 of Pub. L. 92–463, Oct. 6, 1972, 86 Stat. 776, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Foreign Economic Administration and office of its Administrator terminated by Ex. Ord. No. 9630, Sept. 27, 1945, 10 F.R. 12245.

Prepared by the President and transmitted to the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled, April 30, 1953, pursuant to the provisions of the Reorganization Act of 1949, approved June 20, 1949, as amended [see 5 U.S.C. 901 et seq.].

There is hereby established the office of Managing Director of the Export-Import Bank of Washington, hereinafter referred to as the “Managing Director.” The Managing Director shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and shall receive compensation at the rate of $17,500 per annum.

There is hereby established the office of Deputy Director of the Export-Import Bank of Washington. The Deputy Director shall be appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall receive compensation at the rate of $16,000 per annum, shall perform such functions as the Managing Director may from time to time prescribe, and shall act as Managing Director during the absence or disability of the Managing Director or in the event of a vacancy in the office of Managing Director.

There is hereby established the office of Assistant Director of the Export-Import Bank of Washington. The Assistant Director shall be appointed by the Managing Director under the classified civil service, shall receive compensation at the rate now or hereafter fixed by law for grade GS–18 of the general schedule established by the Classification Act of 1949, as amended [chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of Title 5], and shall perform such functions as the Managing Director may from time to time prescribe.

All functions of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of Washington are hereby transferred to the Managing Director.

The National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Problems shall from time to time establish general lending and other financial policies which shall govern the Managing Director in the conduct of the lending and other financial operations of the bank.

The Managing Director may from time to time make such provisions as he deems appropriate authorizing the performance of any of the functions of the Managing Director by any other officer, or by any agency or employee, of the bank.

The following are hereby abolished: (1) The Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of Washington, including the offices of the members thereof provided for in section 3(a) of the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945, as amended [subsection (a) of this section]; (2) the Advisory Board of the Bank, together with the functions of the said Advisory Board; and (3) the function of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of Washington of being a member of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Problems. The Managing Director shall make such provisions as may be necessary for winding up any outstanding affairs of the said abolished boards and offices not otherwise provided for in this reorganization plan.

Sections 3 to 7, inclusive, of this reorganization plan shall become effective when the Managing Director first appointed hereunder enters upon office pursuant to the provisions of this reorganization plan.

[A Board of Directors was reestablished for the Export-Import Bank of Washington by section 1 of act Aug. 9, 1954, ch. 660, 68 Stat. 677, which amended this section. The Board had previously been abolished and its functions transferred to the Managing Director of the Bank by Reorg. Plan No. 5 of 1953, set out above. The 1953 Reorg. Plan was superseded by sections 1, 4 of act Aug. 9, 1954. See this section and 1954 Amendment and Effective Date of 1954 Amendment notes set out above. The “Export-Import Bank of Washington” was renamed the “Export-Import Bank of the United States” by Pub. L. 90–267, §1(a), Mar. 13, 1968, 82 Stat. 47.]

For provisions directing that the United States Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce serve, ex officio and without vote, as additional members of the Board of Directors of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, see section 3 of 1979 Reorg. Plan No. 3, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.