Wendy Sherman: “I have tremendous respect for the author and his intention here, but any amendment to the Ex-Im title means the Ex-Im…”

“I have tremendous respect for the author and his intention here, but any amendment to the Ex-Im title means the Ex-Im title is open to the conference, which will kill the Ex-Im Bank. So we should not adopt an amendment that mostly restates existing law. We have, already, provisions which prevent the Bank from financing state sponsors of terrorism. First, the Bank's own charter, which I helped draft, prohibits them from extending loans or any assistance to any entity that violates U.S. sanctions. Second, as the gentleman points out, the Foreign Assistance Act prohibits any aid to state sponsors of terrorism but allows for a Presidential waiver, but that is a national security waiver, which is very limited. I commend the gentleman for his amendment because it has caused the Ex-Im Bank to issue, just an hour ago, a pledge not to seek any waiver under any circumstances that they can concurrently conceive of. But third, and most importantly, the last 10 appropriations bills have an absolute ban on the Ex-Im Bank helping state sponsors of terror, and there is no waiver allowed. Now, I would like the next omnibus bill, which already has this provision in it, to have the gentleman's language in it as well, and I look forward to working on that. November 4, 2015. Re: Letter Concerning Prohibitions Related to State Sponsors of Terrorism. Hon. Fred P. Hochberg, Chairman and President, Export Import Bank of the United States, Washington, DC.…”