Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to speak about an amendment I am cosponsoring with Senator Cantwell as well as Senator Graham and Senator Shelby to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. This amendment is important to thousands of workers in Senator Cantwell's home State of Washington, and I thank her for offering it with me. This amendment is not just important to the State of Washington; it is important to our national economy. It will create and support more jobs than any other provision in the underlying bill before us today. I believe this is why there was unanimous bipartisan support last year when Senator Shelby and I passed this bill out of the Banking Committee, and it is why we should pass it this week. This legislation would ensure that the bank is able to continue to provide support for U.S. exporters and workers. The amendment extends the authorization of the bank for 4 years and will increase the bank's lending authority to $140 billion by 2015. It also strengthens transparency and accountability at the bank, strengthens restrictions against companies doing business with Iran, and provides for greater oversight of the bank's financing and any risks it may have to taxpayers. The Export-Import Bank is the official export credit agency of the United States. It assists in the financing exports of U.S. goods and services to international markets.…”