House Republican plots Ex-Im amendments

Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.) is considering introducing amendments to an infrastructure spending bill next month that would reauthorize the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank.

In an interview with The Hill, Fincher said he’s “still keeping a positive approach” in the fight over the bank, despite the looming expiration of its charter on June 30.

“We are for sure that this gets done,” Fincher said.

{mosads}He has emerged as one of the top conservative voices in the House for reauthorizing the bank, which provides financing for the sale of American goods overseas.

While the bank is strongly opposed by Tea Party groups, who say its work distorts the marketplace, Fincher is among a group of conservatives in Congress who firmly support the agency.

“This is about jobs, jobs, jobs,” Fincher said.

The Tennessee Republican said he is continuing to have conversations with a “reluctant” House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), who opposes the bank, about legislative action.

Ex-Im’s charter is nearly certain to expire on July 1, given that Congress is away from Washington. But supporters of the bank in Congress are plotting moves to get an Ex-Im reauthorization voted on in the House and Senate — most likely by attaching it to another bill.

“It’s becoming more and more certain that the Senate will attach [Ex-Im] to the highway bill,” Fincher said.

Fincher said Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has “made a promise that we will have a chance to amend those provisions.”

The Tennessee Republican said his amendments would likely be based upon legislation that would have extended the bank’s charter for five years while significantly reforming its structure.

“We want an office of ethics; we want the term limits for [Ex-Im] board members,” he said. “We would love to have the 31 reforms that we’ve got [in my bill]. … The bottom line is, I still think we get this done.”