Cruz pressures McConnell on Ex-Im Bank

The Hill ^ | 10/28/2015 | Jordain Carney

[GIdget2004]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is pressuring Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to stick to his pledge to not move a stand-alone bill reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank.

"Majority Leader McConnell has publicly promised not to bring Ex-Im reauthorization to the Senate floor. If he keeps that promise, then this cronyism will remain dead, and Leader McConnell will deserve the credit," the Texas Republican, who is running for president, said in a statement Tuesday night.

His remarks come after House supporters used a rare procedural tactic to pass stand-alone legislation reauthorizing the bank, which Cruz opposes.

While Senate backers of the bank have used the House vote to publicly push for McConnell to move a stand-alone bill, the Kentucky Republican doubled down on his opposition earlier Tuesday.

"The way to achieve Ex-Im, if it's going to be achieved in the Senate, would be in the context of the highway bill," he told reporters, adding that it a stand-alone bill wouldn't get floor time.

Cruz added that the Senate "has the opportunity to do the right thing" by blocking reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

This should be worth a couple of million in campaign funds for the turtle, so I’m thinking McConnell attaches the Ex-Im Bank bill to the highway bill. Voilla!

[Svartalfiar]

While Senate backers of the bank have used the House vote to publicly push for McConnell to move a stand-alone bill, the Kentucky Republican doubled down on his opposition earlier Tuesday. ... .. "Majority Leader McConnell has publicly promised not to bring Ex-Im reauthorization to the Senate floor. If he keeps that promise, then this cronyism will remain dead, and Leader McConnell will deserve the credit," the Texas Republican, who is running for president, said in a statement Tuesday night.

Very classy. Even as much as Cruz has torn into the Turtle, it's for a good reason. And when McConnell does something right, Cruz is there to support him.

"The way to achieve Ex-Im, if it's going to be achieved in the Senate, would be in the context of the highway bill," he [the Turtle] told reporters,

No, why would you put unrelated stuff in another bill? (I know the answer, and it's total bull.) Ex-Im, should be its own bill, passing or not on its own merits. Not because it's inside something else that 'needs' to pass. Combined with his statement about not bringing a standalone bill to the floor, means the Senate shouldn't have to deal with Ex-Im again, at all.