Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. Speaker, I listen to this welfare-state rhetoric. The American public ought to know that 147 Republicans voted to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank just a few years ago under the leadership of Mr. Cantor and myself.

It was not until the ideological--how do I say what has happened in the House of Representatives--when we retreated from bipartisanship and working together, we retreated from pragmatism and we repaired to ideological hideboundness. Those are pretty tough words, I understand that.

You have 147 Republicans and every Democrat, 330 Members of the House of Representatives, voting to reauthorize this bill just a few years ago. This rhetoric that I hear now that somehow this is selling out to the welfare state is a little difficult for me to believe.

I know it has become an issue for some hardline groups, and this is not just for big business or medium business or small business. This is for American jobs, the little people.

Do big people provide jobs for little people? Yes, they do. Do we want that done? Yes, we do. Should we, therefore, be competitive with the rest of the world who offers subsidies so their corporations, so their medium-sized businesses, so their small businesses can create jobs for people?

Mr. Speaker, 330 of us voted to reauthorize this just 3 years ago, but we have had some immaculate awareness that this is somehow preening to the welfare state.

Let us come together as practical people with common sense who want to be competitive with the rest of the world. Let's pass this bill. The House is for it. The majority is for it. It has been bottled up, which has not allowed the majority to work its will.

Today, through the courage of Mr. Lucas, Mr. Fincher, and others, the majority will work its will. Isn't that wonderful.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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