Huffman Statement on Export Finance Vote

November 15, 2019

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) today issued the following statement after voting against H.R. 4863, the United States Export Finance Agency Act of 2019. This bill would reauthorize funding for the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the nation’s official export credit agency.

“I support the Export-Import Bank, but this is a missed opportunity to improve America’s climate footprint. You either have a climate crisis or you don’t. We are not holding ourselves to a high enough standard. The same week that the European Investment Bank announced it would stop lending for fossil fuels, this reauthorization was a chance to say that the United States will no longer finance massive projects that worsen the climate crisis. The Export-Import Bank’s mission is an important one, but we can support American businesses and jobs without supporting dirty energy projects abroad.”

Huffman offered an amendment to H.R. 4863 that would have imposed new guidelines for reducing greenhouse emissions from projects supported by the Export-Import Bank. The amendment was rejected in committee.

Earlier this month, Huffman introduced standalone legislation to prevent the Export-Import Bank from exporting a dirty energy agenda. The Standing Against Dirty Diplomacy (SADD) Act would end all U.S. support for overseas dirty energy projects through the Export-Import Bank and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). More information on this legislation can be found here. 

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