Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today joined with a majority of members of the U.S. House of Representatives to press for a vote on a bill to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Larsen and a majority of his colleagues signed a petition to bring up for a vote a bill to renew the Bank.

The Bank expired on June 30, halting all new export financing for U.S. businesses of all sizes. Larsen helped introduce a bill to reauthorize the Bank earlier this year. The next step for renewing the Bank will be a vote on the House floor, which should come in late October.

“Helping our businesses sell their goods overseas creates jobs here at home. Since Republicans allowed the Bank to expire this summer, major U.S. companies have announced they are losing sales and moving jobs overseas to take advantage of export assistance that other countries offer. Since 90 percent of the bank’s transactions support small businesses, they are taking the hardest hit and no longer have access to the financing needed to get their products into the hands of international consumers.

“I am pleased to join with my a majority of my colleagues today in a bipartisan effort to revive the Export-Import Bank, a critical tool our manufacturers use to expand their sales around the world. Congress should do the right thing for jobs and get this done,” Larsen said.

In Washington’s second Congressional district, the Export-Import Bank has supported more than $76 billion in exports since 2007. These exports have come from 18 companies, including 11 small businesses like Vista Clara Inc.

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