National Association of Manufacturers Opposes Ex-Im Amendments
ICYMI: The National Association of Manufacturers released a “Key Vote” letter urging Members to oppose Ex-Im Bank related amendments to the highway bill. The letter states:
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the largest manufacturing association in the United States representing manufacturers in every industrial sector and in all 50 states, strongly supports provisions of the Senate-passed version of H.R. 22 that would reform and reauthorize the U.S. Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank and urges opposition to any Ex-Im related amendments.
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 597 as amended by a large margin. That legislation is identical to the text included in the version of H.R. 22 under consideration this week. The substantial reforms to Ex-Im Bank's operations included in the legislation have already secured overwhelming support in Congress.
The Ex-Im Bank is one of the only tools domestic manufacturers have to counter the hundreds of billions of dollars of export financing that foreign governments offer to their exporters. The Bank helps level the playing field for U.S. companies seeking new sales in fiercely competitive global markets, ensuring that our nation's manufacturers can compete.
Congress' failure to reauthorize Ex-Im is already hurting manufacturers of every size and continued inaction will threaten thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs. In FY2014, Ex-Im Bank enabled more than $27 billion in U.S. exports, directly supporting more than 164,000 American jobs at thousands of companies. Additionally, small and medium-sized manufacturers accounted for 90 percent of the Bank's transactions. For that reason, the NAM urges you to oppose amendments related to the Ex-Im Bank.
The NAM's Key Vote Advisory Committee has indicated that votes on amendments to the Ex-Im reauthorization provisions of H.R. 22, including procedural motions, may be considered for designation as Key Manufacturing Votes in the 114th Congress.
Their vote alert echoed the Chamber of Commerce’s message to Congress urging opposition to all Ex-Im Bank amendments, as well as a letter that Whip Hoyer, Ranking Member Waters, Rep. Moore, and Rep. Heck sent to House Democrats.
After 313 Members – a majority of Republicans and nearly all Democrats – voted for legislation that would reopen the Bank, it’s time for a minority of Republicans to stop their obstruction and allow Congress to get things done for American businesses and workers.