2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Republican Study Committee
Budget Resolution Which In Part Called For Eliminating The Export-Import
Bank. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against a budget resolution
that would in part, according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide for
$2.9 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018. It would balance
the budget by fiscal 2023 by reducing spending by $10.1 trillion over
10 years. It would cap total discretionary spending at $1.06 trillion
for fiscal 2018 and would assume no separate Overseas Contingency
Operations funding for fiscal 2018 or subsequent years and would
incorporate funding related to war or terror into the base defense
account. It would assume repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul and
would convert Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program into
a single block grant program. It would require that off budget programs,
such as Social Security, the U.S. Postal Service, and Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, be included in the budget." The underlying legislation was
an FY 2018 House GOP budget resolution. The House rejected the RSC
budget by a vote of 139 to 281. [House Vote 555,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
455;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For The FY 2020 Minibus Appropriations Bill,
Which Reauthorized the Export-Import Bank. In December 2019,
Fitzpatrick voted for the FY 2020 minibus spending bill, which
represented 8 of the 12 appropriations bills. According to Congressional
Quarterly, the bill "Extends the charter of the U.S. Export-Import Bank
for seven years and provides for procedures to establish a temporary
board in the absence of a sufficient number of Senate-confirmed
directors to comprise a quorum." The vote was a motion to concur in the
Senate amendment. The House agreed to the motion by a vote of 297-120.
The Senate later passed the bill and the President signed the bill into
law. [House Vote 689,
12/17/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 12/17/19;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.1865]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted For Reauthorizing The Export-Import Bank. In
November 2019, Fitzpatrick voted for reauthorizing the Export-Import
Bank. According to Congressional Quarterly, the bill would "reauthorize
the charter of the Export-Import Bank through fiscal 2029 and would
increase the amount of loans, guarantees, and insurance the bank may
have outstanding at any one time from $135 million to $175 million,
increasing the amount annually through fiscal 2026." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 253-184. The bill was
not taken up in the Senate. [House Vote 624,
11/15/19; Congressional
Quarterly, 11/15/19;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.4863]
The House Bill Was Not Taken Up In The Senate. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The House passed a bill Friday that would
reauthorize the Export-Import Bank for 10 years and rename it the
U.S. Export Finance Agency, but Republicans say the bill is doomed
in the Senate. Instead, GOP members expect to attach a shorter,
clean reauthorization of the Ex-Imp Bank to the continuing
resolution to keep the government open past Nov. 21, the date that
both federal funding authority and Ex-Im's charter will expire."
[Congressional Quarterly,
11/15/19]
Republicans Opposed The Export-Import Reauthorization Bill Because
It Didn't Include Language Blocking Financing For Chinese
State-Owned Enterprises. According to Congressional Quarterly,
"House Republicans attributed their opposition to provisions missing
from the bill that were included in another reauthorization measure
that would have blocker financing for Chinese state-owned
enterprises." [Congressional Quarterly,
11/15/19]
Export Trade Associations Supported The House Bill. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "A coalition of export trade associations
--- including the National Association of Manufacturers, the
Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Aerospace
Industries Association and American Bankers Association --- sent a
letter Tuesday to House members urging them all to back the
legislation, saying they 'strongly support an extension of the
current Ex-Im Bank authorization for 10 years." [Congressional
Quarterly, 11/15/19]
The White House Opposed The House Bill, Citing Environmental
Provisions That Would Authorize Funding For Renewable Energy.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "But on Thursday, the White
House issued a Statement of Administration Policy against the bill.
The statement cited environmental provisions for its opposition. The
measure would direct the bank to reserve 5 percent of its annual
financing for renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy storage
technology exports." [Congressional Quarterly,
11/15/19]