On the recordOctober 28, 2015
I think it is important that constituents know why their Members vote for and against different things. Yesterday, we saw the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, and I voted ``no'' on that. Of course, I, like probably every single Member of Congress, have businesses in the district that I represent that use the Export-Import Bank to further their business, hire their employees, and help their community. So why would somebody vote against the Export-Import Bank? I am here to tell you why. We have a tradition in America of a free-market value and its wanted standing in the world. It is not by a corrupt system of cronyism and political favor, and that is what the Export-Import Bank is to me. Unfortunately, while many small businesses in every community use the Export-Import Bank, fully 98 percent of businesses don't use the Export-Import Bank to do their exporting--98 percent. But that is not really the issue. The issue is other things. For instance, between 2007 and 2014, more than 51 percent of all Ex- Im subsidies benefited just 10--10--corporations. One in particular benefited from $66.7 billion in subsidies during the past 7 years. We can't fix Social Security, and we can't afford our military. But we can sure afford for 10 corporations to get 51 percent, because it is not really about the small business in your community, generally speaking.…





