Alcee Hastings: “Mr. Speaker, this bill reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank of the United States through fiscal year 2005. It mandates…”

“Mr. Speaker, this bill reauthorizes the Export-Import Bank of the United States through fiscal year 2005. It mandates changes in bank programs and creates a new division in the Bank for Africa. And I would like to personally extend my thanks to my colleague and good friend, the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bereuter), for enhancing this bill through working with our colleagues to provide that provision. The Export-Import Bank operates under a renewable charter, the Export-Import Bank Act of 1935, and was last fully authorized in 1997 through September 30, 2001. A short-term extension through April 30, 2002, was passed by voice vote on March 19. I supported that measure in 1997 and likely will support the base bill today. But, Mr. Speaker, although some amendments were permitted, five, and I think each of them highlights concerns that our Congress Members have, certainly I do, of the many amendments that were not accepted, one in particular, in my judgment, should have been. That amendment, authored by the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), represented the creation of a Human Rights Impact Assessment Office within the bank.”