White House insists on attaching Ex-Im bank to highway bill

The Hill reports:

President Obama is insisting that lawmakers reauthorize the controversial Export-Import Bank in must-pass transportation funding legislation that is being debated this week, the White House said Thursday.

Republicans in the House have vocally objected to the idea of including an extension of the Ex-Im Bank’s charter in the highway bill, despite an apparent openness to the proposal in the Senate.

The standoff has imperiled federal transportation funding that is scheduled to expire on July 31 without congressional action.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Thursday that Obama is adamant the Ex-Im Bank renewal should be included in the transportation funding bill, despite the objections from the GOP-led House.

"Surface transportation legislation is the most likely legislative vehicle, no pun intended, to move before the end of the month," he said. "That's why we've insisted that the provisions related to reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank should be added to any transportation bill that passes Congress this month."

The planning to rip off taxpayers.