The House spurned Republican leaders on Monday night by approving a rare petition that will force a floor vote this week on legislation to reform and reauthorize the Export-Import Bank.
The so-called “discharge petition” from Rep. Stephen Fincher, R-Tenn., had the support of every Democrat and dozens of Republicans, and was opposed by House GOP leaders. But under House rules, supporters of the petition had the right to call it up on Monday.
The petition easily passed in a 246-177 vote, a result made possible with the help of 62 GOP lawmakers. That was far less than the 177 Republicans who voted “no,” but still plenty to win it passage by a simple majority vote.
The successful vote is a strong rebuke to House GOP leaders that had purposefully not called up a vote on the Ex-Im bill for months. With the discharge petition passed, the House is now expected to debate and vote Tuesday on Fincher’s legislation to reauthorize the bank.
The Monday night vote is also a sign Fincher’s bill will pass easily on Tuesday.
Supporters of Fincher’s bill praised it as a chance to let the bank find new business for the first time since June 30. That was the last day it was allowed to operate fully.
Starting July 1, the bank has only been allowed to service existing loans and loan guarantees to foreign purchasers of U.S. goods and services.
GOP leaders have said the bank is corporate welfare. But Fincher and others said it’s time to let other House members have a say in the matter.
“I ask my colleagues to join me in returning power to the rank and file members by voting on the motion to discharge, and supporting American jobs,” Fincher said.
Opponents warned it means the possible return of a federal agency that the GOP says doles out corporate welfare. They also complained that now that a vote will happen, amendments should be allowed.
“The real complaint I have here is… why punish the entirety of the House?” asked Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, one of the leading opponents of the bank.
As evidence of just how much some Republicans oppose the Ex-Im Bank, the debate and vote on the discharge petition was followed by a debate on whether Fincher had the right to offer it Monday evening, or whether it had to be offered “immediately” after the Pledge of Allegiance in the House. The presiding officer eventually decided the petition could be offered at any time in the day.
If the House passes Fincher’s bill Tuesday, that would put immediate pressure on Senate Republican leaders to take up the same bill and pass it.
If it comes up in the Senate, it’s likely to pass. In July, the Senate passed a highway bill that included Ex-Im Bank reauthorization language, and it passed 64-29.
