Post by bot on Dec 3, 2015 20:54:37 GMT -5
Hoyer: Passage of Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Represents a Good Day for Workers in America, America’s Competitiveness
WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Maxine Waters (CA), Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Gwen Moore (WI), and representatives from labor and the business community at a press conference this afternoon on the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, which was included in the highway bill conference report that passed the House today. Below is a transcript of his remarks:
“Thank you very much. I came here to hear Maxine Waters introduce me. It’s always good to have a close friend introduce you, thank you so much, but Maxine really has been our quarterback on this issue as the Ranking Member of the Financial Services Committee. Gwen Moore as Ranking Member on the Subcommittee that handles this has been critical. [Rep.] Denny Heck could not be here but nobody has worked harder, more effectively than Denny Heck on this accomplishment that we just did just a few minutes ago. And I also want to say a word about [Reps.] Steve Fincher and Frank Lucas – Congressman Fincher of Tennessee, Congressman Lucas of Oklahoma. They were absolutely critical in accomplishing this objective. And what this objective showed was that when you have a majority of Republicans and an overwhelming majority of Democrats, a willful minority can stop action.
“It took, as the Chair has said, my Chair [Ranking Member Maxine Waters], has said, an overwhelming, extraordinary effort in many ways, and an extraordinarily broad spectrum of support from business to labor to the private sector, to small, medium, and large enterprises to marshal efforts to accomplish this objective. Notwithstanding the final analysis, we got over 300 votes for this bill. As we should have, because it is in the best interest of the country. It’s in the best interest of jobs. It ensures that America will remain competitive. And this bill ought to be an example of how in a bipartisan way the Congress can summon the votes to act in the best interest of the American people.
“I read an article on the front page of the Washington Post today. That article talked about how the Koch brothers decided they did not like the Export-Import Bank and how through the organizations that they give great deals of money to, they energized opposition to this bill. And again, notwithstanding the fact that [reauthorization] enjoyed the majority support of both parties in the House of Representatives and both parties in the United States Senate, it was held hostage for over two years. [Former Majority Leader] Cantor and I in 2012 worked together, and we got an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote. Every Democrat, every Democrat, and 147 Republicans. We got 127 [Republicans] this time, 147 Republicans in 2012, about 60% of the Republican Caucus.
“But I want to thank our friends in labor. I want to thank our friends at the Chamber [of Commerce] and in business, and I want to thank those in the small business community, the medium business community who came out. One of the things I said on the Floor of the House of Representatives in response to the debate, because so many people were saying, ‘We’re giving a lot of money to Boeing. This is crony capitalism. This is just giving money to big corporations!’ And I got up and said: the gentleman failed to mention the thousands and thousands and thousands of people not only that Boeing hires, who are relying on their exports, but on the thousands of suppliers who create jobs, supplying materials to Boeing that then are exported for foreign sales.
“So Maxine Waters, congratulations. Gwen Moore, congratulations. Denny Heck, in your absence, congratulations. Mr. Lucas, congratulations for your courage. Mr. Fincher, congratulations for your courage. This is a good for America. It’s a good day for workers in America. It’s a good day for America’s competitiveness. And now I want to yield to my friend, the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee that had jurisdiction over the Export-Import Bank from the great state of Wisconsin, Congresswoman Moore.”