Make it in America

Floor Speech

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Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, undeniably, the issue that we hear about the most in our districts across America is the need to create a climate that grows jobs to allow the dignity of work to be realized by our constituents and to enable them to earn a sound paycheck.

We can ill-afford to play games with the jobs agenda. We need to do everything within our power to be able to provide for those resources and develop those policies that will create that climate that grows private sector jobs and enables public sector jobs to administer the services that we require as a Nation.

For years, I have been coming to this floor, speaking with great fervor about the Make It In America agenda, making certain that we take great pride in that opportunity that we, as a Nation, have always embraced: the pioneer spirit, the innovation that challenges us today.

That Make It In America agenda has many, many needs. I have spoken to the need for implementing sound manufacturing policies, retrofitting our centers of employment, our manufacturing centers, so that they can compete with cutting-edge technology on their side.

I have advanced the concern and the issue of funding research, making certain that we do things smarter, which will enable us to be more competitive in those economic sweepstakes on an international scale.

I have focused on STEM education, making certain in this innovation economy that we have those scientists, technology-driven types, engineers, math majors, that can take us forward with the sort of skills and talent that we require.

I have talked about improving our infrastructure to make certain that commerce's demands for sound infrastructure will be met so that they can ship their products and transport their products. I have talked about the need to grow our exports as a Nation.

Well, I believe this can be boiled down to a simple message. The idea is to make more, use less, and sell it everywhere, in other words, promote domestic manufacturing, enhance our efficiency--energy efficiency and, across the board, all types of efficiency--and then enable us to then export American-made goods.

Well, this trio has been hindered of late because of a refusal to reauthorize in this House the Export-Import Bank, which is a great service that allows for loans, loan guarantees, and can stand as an insurance policy, a government creditor, for contracts when bid upon by our private sector industries and businesses. That damage, that delay, had been troublesome.

I have come to this floor many times. I have joined with my colleagues in press conferences. I have invoked our leadership to bring the measure to the floor because I think, if we do, it passes.

I have talked also about signing on. I have signed onto petitions to discharge, to make certain, again, that we raise the public consciousness to this growing concern of lacking the reauthorization of our Export-Import Bank.

Well, the damage came and hit my district. I would say to America we in Congress, this House and its leadership, are playing with fire because now we have a major corporation--in this case, GE in my district--that will be transitioning hundreds, 500 or more, jobs to France because of the lack of an Export-Import Bank here.

There are some 84, 85 Export-Import Banks around the world. Some 60-plus nations have this concept at their grasp. So the French Government has authorized the Export-Import Bank to be utilized by GE.

Now I witness hundreds of jobs in my own district that will be transferred to another set of workers, damaging the American Dream of people that I represent. This is unthinkable, unthinkable.

This could be avoided. All it takes is a simple exercise to bring an issue to the floor, bring the bill to the floor, of which I am a cosponsor, and act on it. I believe wholeheartedly that, in a bipartisan fashion, that measure would pass.

So tonight we are going to use these minutes to advocate for the Export-Import Bank, to have that vote brought to the floor. We will begin with the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer), who is a friend, a leader in our House, and is our minority whip.

Representative Steny Hoyer, thank you for joining us this evening.

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Mr. TONKO. I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his voice on this issue.

It is clear that the Democrats in this House are staunchly for reauthorization of this concept. When people talk about the tools in the toolkit that are required, growing exports is a very important part of the equation for economic recovery and economic growth.

This concept of an Export-Import Bank reduces the deficit by some $675 million, at last annual count, and grows jobs to the tune of 164,000, per the last count. So reduce the deficit and grow jobs; isn't that the mantra that we hear time and time again from folks who represent all of America in this House of Representatives? It stands to reason that we bring the bill to the floor for a vote.

America should not tolerate this. The business community, the commerce voices of this Nation, from chambers of commerce across this country is resonating with we the Democrats in this House. We need reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. What don't we understand? Let's go forward and encourage that that vote be taken very, very soon.

One of the people that I get to serve with is a longtime friend. We have served in the New York State Assembly together, and we now serve here in the United States House of Representatives together. We have been very concerned about job growth in New York State and, in particular, along that manufacturing corridor called the Erie Canal which gave birth to a number of mill towns that then became epicenters of invention and innovation. Today they stand as inspiration as to how to speak to that pioneer spirit that is within our DNA as a nation.

I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), my good friend. Thank you for sharing your thoughts this evening. Thank you for joining us.

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Mr. TONKO. You are most welcome. I thank the gentlewoman from New York for lending her voice to this discussion.

As was made mention by the gentlewoman from New York, many small businesses, startups, innovative types, entrepreneurs, and medium-sized businesses utilize the Export-Import Bank. This is not just a tool for large industry. When we look at something like GE, when people say: ``Well, doesn't a large business, an industry like that, sit upon enough funds to make this happen, to make this contract work?'' they required for this contract on which they bid to have a government creditor to back up this bid. That means the Export-Import Bank.

There are certain elements of this concept that are utilized for different contracts, and in this case, the government creditor status of the Export-Import Bank made the deal possible for GE.

So, with that, we now move to a good friend, a very rigorous voice for his constituents in Minnesota and a very aggressive voice for job creation across this country.

Representative Nolan, thank you for joining us for this Special Order.

Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan).

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Mr. TONKO. I thank the gentleman from Minnesota.

We have very little time remaining, so we are going to reach to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) to offer a close here.

We thank Representative Lipinski for joining us this evening on a very important topic. Thank you for your strong voice in this matter.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).

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Mr. TONKO. I thank the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) for joining us on this very important topic.

Finally, we will go to the gentlewoman from Ohio, (Ms. Kaptur), who is such a strong voice for American jobs, American workers, and hits hard at that agenda.

It is not surprising to see you on the floor to join us in this effort. Welcome, Representative Kaptur.

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Mr. TONKO. I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio for her insight and her powerful statement.

It is very clear, it is very straightforward: support American workers; support small business; support exporting of American manufactured goods; support industry. Let's grow our economy.

We are going to close with a very forceful voice, one with great passion, the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore), who also has been impacted by this failure to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Representative Moore, thank you so much. It is an honor to serve with you. Thank you for being here.

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Mr. TONKO. I thank the gentlewoman from Wisconsin.

We have exhausted our time here this afternoon, but I will state clearly, we cannot afford to dull the competitive edge of American business, American industry. We cannot afford to impact negatively the American worker. We should not suffocate the American Dream simply by this recalcitrance, this determination to shut down an Export-Import Bank that has helped as a tool in the toolkit.

Allow us to be strong. Allow us to be competitive, robustly competitive. Reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. The damage is already beginning to hit home across this great Nation. We must do better. The American worker deserves our support. American business and industry deserves our support.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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