Joe Donnelly: “it is an honor to follow my colleague from New Hampshire, who has done such an eloquent job. Export-Import Bank I want…”

“it is an honor to follow my colleague from New Hampshire, who has done such an eloquent job. Export-Import Bank I want to talk about the Export-Import Bank. I said this during the unnecessary 2013 Government shutdown, and I will say it again: Most Americans think Congress can do something to help create jobs and strengthen our economy--even if it is simply not doing any harm. Yet here we are again, willfully allowing an important tool for economic growth to expire by not taking commonsense action. On June 30, the charter for the Export-Import Bank will expire. During its 80-plus years of existence, the Bank has garnered support from every President during that span and repeatedly been renewed by Congress, often without any objection. The Export-Import Bank is not a Democratic program or a Republican program. It is a program to help American businesses. President Reagan's words from 30 years ago still ring true: Exports create and sustain jobs for millions of American workers and contribute to the growth and strength of the United States economy. The Export-Import Bank contributes in a significant way to our nation's export sales. The Gipper was right then, and he is right today. Those who oppose the Ex-Im Bank for ideological reasons may make their case in the abstract, but I have to operate in the reality, where I have heard over and over from Indiana small business owners and workers about the importance of the Ex-Im Bank.…”