Bill Lee: “I believe the legislation we have before us today significantly improves the ability of the bank to respond to the needs…”

“I believe the legislation we have before us today significantly improves the ability of the bank to respond to the needs of small business exporters and particularly minority and women-owned small business exporters. By creating a new office for socially and disadvantaged small businesses and businesses owned by women, we are responding to a critical and glaring gap in Ex-Im's outreach programs. The office builds directly from an amendment that I co-authored in 2001, during the last reauthorization which required Ex-Im to annually report on the number and type of transactions it conducts with minority and women-owned businesses. The inadequate reporting from Ex-Im and their token support for minority outreach has made this new office a necessity.”