United States Export Finance Agency Act of 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. Mr. Chair, I claim time in opposition, but I am not opposed to the amendment.

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Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. Mr. Chair, first, let me say Republicans unanimously voted to support the Waters-McHenry bipartisan deal to strengthen the Export-Import Bank and combat Chinese aggression, but we will not support this partisan bill.

This is yet another do-nothing amendment offered by the Democrats so they can send out a press release claiming they care about national security or, in this case, the opioid crisis. In fact, it is a poison pill meant to counter an amendment that will be offered shortly.

``Amend and pretend'' is going to be a running theme during this debate. Like another measure offered today by Mrs. Torres, Mr. McAdams' amendment would simply require Ex-Im users to self-certify that they are not breaking the law by violating opioid trafficking sanctions. This way, Democrats can claim that they don't like opioids.

See how it works? They push this bill. It means nothing. Criminals, of course, are going to say: No. Who, me? I wouldn't violate the law.

The real opioid measure that we have before us today is being offered by me shortly. Mr. McAdams' amendment would actually prevent Ex-Im assistance from going to foreign governments that significantly contribute to opioid trafficking if those governments fail to cooperate with U.S. antinarcotics efforts. That is a serious amendment. It prevents taxpayer-backed financing from going to governments that help to poison taxpayers. It is logical.

Unfortunately, my opioid trafficking amendment was so logical that Democrats opposed it in committee and have pledged to oppose it here on the floor shortly.

Again, this McAdams amendment is about a press release for Democrats, so amend and pretend it is today with the McAdams amendment.

I want to be clear that I do not oppose the amendment, but I am opposed and disappointed that my Democratic colleagues have offered another amendment that is another stunt provision for this dead-end bill.

We had a bipartisan path forward, and Democrats are wasting floor time with this bill that will never be enacted to law.

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Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, as we will see shortly, to highlight the fact that this isn't about getting the provision into law, I am confident a recorded vote will be requested because it is all theater. It is not meant to change the law in a substantive way; it is meant to provide cover.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to start off by saying that I wholeheartedly support reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. It is an important tool to help ensure American companies can stay competitive in foreign markets and can be used as an important national security tool in countering countries such as China.

Unfortunately, there are several commonsense reforms that I think could dramatically improve the agency but which are not being considered under this bill, which is why I am offering my amendment.

My amendment is modeled after the bipartisan Fentanyl Sanctions Act, introduced in the House by Max Rose and cosponsored by our colleague from Arkansas, French Hill. In the Senate, the Senate minority leader, Democrat Chuck Schumer, is the lead sponsor, joined by Republican Senator Pat Toomey and others.

Under the House and Senate fentanyl bills, the President could waive sanctions against foreign state-owned banks if a foreign government is closely cooperating with our efforts to prevent opioid trafficking.

This amendment's approach is similar. It simply says that the United States will oppose Ex-Im Bank assistance to a government and the entities it controls if the President determines that the government isn't cooperating with us to stop the flood of opioids into our country. China and Mexico, in particular, have been identified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency as primary producers of these opioids.

This amendment is not targeting those who need assistance from the United States most; in fact, my amendment would provide a waiver where exports are needed to the government in question for the export of humanitarian goods or services. We want to help those who need assistance, but we must be doing all that we can do to confront the opioid epidemic that is wreaking havoc in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, opioids are the main driver of opioid deaths in America, with deaths linked to synthetic opioids, especially fentanyl, rising exponentially. Areas in southwest Ohio, where I represent, have some of the highest per capita opioid overdose deaths in the Nation.

And this is an epidemic impacting all our Nation's communities. In 2017 alone, 28,000 deaths in the United States involved synthetic opioids, and deaths have risen all across demographic groups in nearly half of U.S. States.

In short, this is a problem that touches all of us, and close cooperation with countries receiving Ex-Im assistance from the United States is essential.

If we care about stopping this epidemic, my amendment is a small but important step that we should all be able to agree on. I urge my colleagues to support its adoption.

I want to clarify that countries that have problems, like China or Mexico, don't need to completely eliminate their problem; what they do need to do is cooperate with the United States, and when they do, the Export-Import Bank can continue to function well where it was designed to function well.

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Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

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Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I would like to make the point that this amendment that I have offered has substance because it expects something for America's assistance.

At least some of my colleagues are consistent: They don't want the President of the United States, whoever that is, to expect anything from a foreign power in exchange for American participation. They want nothing in return for our dollars, no condition on their behavior.

In fact, rather than trusting the United States of America to determine whether a country is cooperating with us on our efforts to stop synthetic opioids, they want to trust the people who may very well be using the system to create that market for their own benefit, self- certification.

I am sure the Sinaloa Cartel would certify that they don't participate in trafficking drugs, as well.

That is what the McAdams approach does. That is the version that our chairwoman has, unfortunately, chosen to support, and I believe it is the wrong path.

I encourage people to support this amendment if they are serious about trying to stop opioids and if they are serious about using the foreign policy tools, including trade, that the United States has to offer.

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

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Mr. DAVIDSON of Ohio. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

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