McConnell and Senate Republicans Breathe New Life into the Expired Ex-Im Bank

This afternoon, the Senate voted 67 to 26 to attach a reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank to the "must-pass" highway bill, choosing to represent lobbyists over the voters who put them in office. If this amendment makes it into law, the corporations which have spent so many millions of dollars to lobby for Ex-Im’s resurrection will have Mitch McConnell to thank for it.

In spite of his repeated public insistence that he opposes Ex-Im, it was McConnell who introduced (for Senator Kirk) the amendment to revive the bank via the unrelated highway funding bill, knowing full well that it had the votes to pass. As Senator Cruz pointed out in his brilliantly scathing speech, the Senate Majority Leader has priority of precedence on the Senate floor – meaning that only McConnell could guarantee a vote on Ex-Im. Conversely, McConnell alone could have guaranteed Ex-Im stayed expired, by simply refusing to give it a chance on the floor.

But instead McConnell lied, and the amendment to reauthorize an 80-year-old corporate welfare fund received a vote. 24 Republicans joined the Democrats to pass the amendment. Ever the crafty politician, McConnell voted against the amendment, having already done his share to ensure it passed.

Here’s the list of the 24 Republican senators who chose to represent Boeing rather than the American taxpayer (you can see the full roll call HERE):

Lamar Alexander

Kelly Ayotte

Roy Blunt

Richard Burr

Dan Coats

Thad Cochran

Susan Collins

Mike Enzi

Joni Ernst

Lindsey Graham

Chuck Grassley

Dean Heller

John Hoeven

Johnny Isakson

Mark Kirk

Ron Johnson

John McCain

Jerry Moran

Lisa Murkowski

Rob Portman

Pat Roberts

Mike Rounds

Tim Scott

Roger Wicker