OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

United States Export Finance Agency Act of 2019

Floor Speech

Date: Nov. 14, 2019
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Finance and Banking Energy Environment

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Mr. FLORES. Mr. Chairman, I offer an amendment as the designee of Mr. Burgess.

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Mr. FLORES. Mr. Chairman, again, I am offering this amendment on behalf of the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

This amendment requires the Export-Import Bank to take into consideration energy affordability, in addition to environmental impact, before approving transactions. It further requires the Export- Import Bank to report on how transactions impact the cost of energy in the importing country and the estimated emissions reductions caused by Bank-financed exports.

Clean energy sources from nonrenewable sources, such as hydrogen, nuclear, and natural gas, are just as important to lowering emissions as renewable energy. The bill, as written, only focuses on renewable energy sources, but we should also promote nonrenewable clean energy sources such as nuclear, hydrogen, and natural gas.

If emissions reductions are the goal, Federal policies must focus on total performance and not favor one technology over the other. In the developing world, affordable, clean energy will give people more opportunity for a better life when expensive alternatives are unaffordable.

I urge passage of this amendment to ensure that energy affordability, energy efficiency, and clean energy remain an important component of our export policy.

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Mr. FLORES. Mr. Chairman, with all due respect to my colleague, I don't think he understands my amendment.

Nuclear energy has zero emissions. Hydrogen has zero emissions. Natural gas has much-reduced emissions compared to coal.

The advantage of nuclear energy is it is always on. Renewable is not always on.

This is a chance to give the importing companies a chance to have clean energy, affordable energy, and to be able to advance their economies using U.S. know-how and technology, which leads in several of these areas.

I urge a ``yea'' vote for my amendment because it is the right thing to do if we really care about emissions reduction, affordability around the world, and being able to export the United States' leading technology and clean energy.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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Mr. FLORES. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

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