Republicans Push Hochberg to Approve Ex-Im Officials for Testimony
Several House Republicans recently threatened to compel Export-Import Bank President Fred Hochberg to allow high-ranking Ex-Im officials to testify before a House committee if Hochberg does not voluntarily give approval for the testimonies by Nov. 13. House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, and two subcommittee chiefs pushed Hochberg to approve the bank's Chief Risk Officer, Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel for testimony before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
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The lawmakers also subpoenaed unredacted Ex-Im documents that the credit agency has so far stonewalled, the four Republicans said in a Nov. 6 letter to Hochberg (here). "Financial Services Committee staff has been unable to assess, for example, the reasonableness of determinations made by the bank that it could participate in a transaction because adequate financing was unavailable in the private market -- even though such analyses speak directly to the bank's utility and therefore whether Congress should reauthorize it," said the letter. While Congress recently authorized the bank's charter through June 2015, many lawmakers are calling on Congress to allow Ex-Im's expiration. The bank's supporters, mostly Democrats continue to push for the bank's long-term extension (see 1410140064).