Trade Policy News

Republican presidential hopeful Jeb Bush’s declared support for phasing out the Export-Import Bank could give him an opening with conservatives who have grown skeptical of what they consider his more establishment cast in recent years. Bush, laying out his conservative record as a two-term governor of Florida, told a group of wealthy, pro-free-market donors that…

This week, the Obama administration praised the opening of a solar farm in California, which was constructed with the backing of a $1.5 billion loan guarantee from the Department of Energy. But the project’s critics argue it “reeks of cronyism,” and they’re finding themselves in lockstep with opponents of the controversial Export-Import Bank, as the…

Debate over the future of the Export-Import Bank is beginning to ramp up on Capitol Hill again. Today, the House Financial Services Committee rejected an amendment that would have forced the panel to formally consider reauthorization of the bank. Three Democrats on the committee—ranking member Maxine Waters of California and Reps. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin…

Lawmakers tasked with overseeing the Export-Import Bank have issued a subpoena for records that detail the agency’s internal deliberations, saying they had endured months of “stonewalling” from Chairman Fred Hochberg and other bank officials. “The taxpayers want to know about the use of their tax dollars, and [Hochberg] wouldn’t give this information,” Rep. Jim Jordan,…

The House’s Republican leadership hasn’t made any promises that an embattled government bank won’t be saved again after an expected nine-month reprieve, a conservative lawmaker confirmed today. The Daily Signal asked Republican legislators attending the monthly Capitol Hill meeting of Conversations with Conservatives whether they had received any assurances from House leadership that yesterday’s nine-month…

A longtime head of the Federal Reserve and prominent voice in economics has come out in opposition to a much more controversial government bank that is locked in a reauthorization fight. Alan Greenspan, who served as Federal Reserve chairman under four presidents, told The Hill that “as an economist” he doesn’t support reauthorization of the…

A leading congressional advocate for pulling the plug on the Export-Import Bank today said he “regrets” that a nine-month reauthorization of the federal agency is part of a Republican-sponsored measure to keep the government running. “I do not believe that Ex-Im should be part of the CR [continuing resolution]. I regret that the Republican conference…

Just weeks before the Export-Import Bank’s charter expires, top bank officials embarked on a nationwide tour designed to drum up support for the agency. Such actions may flirt with anti-lobbying, propaganda and public-relations provisions put in place to protect taxpayers. Those recent actions are raising concerns for Congress, said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. In an…

With just nine legislative days left before the Export-Import Bank’s charter expires Sept. 30, House Republicans are reportedly working on a deal to extend the life of the agency for several months. Could the Export-Import Bank live to see a few more months? In an interview with The Daily Signal, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, confirmed…

A Massachusetts liberal who helped mastermind new legal restrictions from Congress that shook up Wall Street now sees reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank as a chance for Democrats to win back business leaders most affected by the regulatory changes he pushed. In an interview with Huffington Post, former Rep. Barney Frank said extending the life…

The home state of Boeing’s airplane division benefits the most from financing by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and by a huge margin, a state-by-state analysis shows. Using public data from the Export-Import Bank, a researcher at George Mason University analyzed the proportion of the federal agency’s disbursements each state received over the past seven years….

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., who previously voted to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, told The Daily Signal this week he’s undecided about whether he’ll support the bank this time around. “There’s been a lot of reforms put forward,” he said after speaking atThe Heritage Foundation. “I want to see the total package as we get closer to the end…

The Export-Import Bank announced today it would halt financing deals with Russia and Russian companies. The Department of Treasury notified House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling of the decision to include Export-Import Bank financing in President Obama’s latest round of sanctions against the country. In a statement, the Texas Republican commended Obama for his decision: The…

Three high-ranking Democrats this week asked President Obama to impose more sanctions on Russia. Now, a conservative Republican is offering one way for Obama to cut off support: immediately end the Export-Import Bank’s deals with Russia. House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, said Russia’s repeated attempts to undermine Ukraine and its connection to the…

As the Export-Import Bank’s future continues to be a topic of intense debate among lawmakers on Capitol Hill, two of the most prominent voices for and against the bank went head-to-head this week to debate whether the government agency should be ended for good. Tim Carney, a columnist at the Washington Examiner, and Tony Fratto,…