Trump Ex-Im Bank nominee will likely be blocked
By ZACHARY WARMBRODT 12/12/2017 04:20 PM EST
Scott Garrett, President Donald Trump's pick to lead the Export-Import Bank, will likely be blocked by bipartisan opposition after he struggled to convince lawmakers that he should run an agency he once tried to kill in Congress.
Garrett's fate was all but sealed Tuesday when Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) said he would oppose the former congressman's confirmation when it comes up for a vote at the Senate Banking Committee on Dec. 19. The panel has 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats, and all the Democrats are expected to oppose Garrett.
"I believe him to be a proponent of the abolition of the bank rather than a reformer of the bank," Rounds told POLITICO. "I'm looking for reformers, not abolitionists."
Rounds had raised concerns that small contractors in his state could be hurt if their larger customers lost access to financing. U.S. companies rely on the agency to provide loan guarantees to the foreign buyers of American exports.
If Garrett's nomination were blocked or withdrawn, it would be a major victory for companies and manufacturing groups, including Boeing and the National Association of Manufacturers. They have fought to stop his Senate confirmation based on his record of trying to shut down the bank while serving in Congress.
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https://www.politico.com/story/2017/12/12/scott-garrett-trump-ex-im-bank-nominee-221518
