Dan Kildee: “I thank my friend from Colorado for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in opposition to the previous question…”

“I thank my friend from Colorado for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in opposition to the previous question in order to make in order a vote to reauthorize the Export- Import Bank. For Americans, the Export-Import Bank means jobs. It means economic growth. Failing to reauthorize Ex-Im threatens American jobs, threatens American businesses, threatens our economy. Supporting Ex-Im used to be a bipartisan issue. Just read a little history: Dwight Eisenhower supported it. Ronald Reagan supported it. If you want a more recent example, George W. Bush supported it. This never has been a partisan issue until just recently, where even the House leadership--the Speaker, I think, supports it--has now been captured by a small group of very far right-leaning ideologues to whom, apparently, much is owed because we can't get a floor vote on a piece of legislation supported by a majority of the House of Representatives that helps American business and helps American workers. What is wrong with this picture? This makes no sense whatsoever. The Export-Import Bank is an essential part of a growing economy, and particularly in supporting American businesses to grow their exports and put Americans to work. In my home State alone, 228 companies, $11 billion in export value, are at risk if we don't reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, and we have 5 days to do it. But we could do it in 5 minutes if we defeat the previous question, bring to the floor of the House legislation, H.R.…”