{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=b2088f6f-87da-49bb-a3ae-b0938921e166", "Heitkamp Highlights Need to Reauthorize Export-Import Bank during Visit to WCCO Belting, Inc.", "2015-11-24", "2015", "2015-11", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Kirk-Heitkamp Bill to Reauthorize Export-Import Bank & Support U.S. Job, Businesses Has Overwhelming Bipartisan Support in House & Senate\r\nWAHPETON, N.D.  During her visit to WCCO Belting, Inc. in Wahpeton, U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today underscored the need to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank, which for decades has helped invigorate small businesses across North Dakota. WCCO is a 60-year-old manufacturing company that doubled its workforce and revenue with the help of the Export-Import Bank.\r\nHeitkamp discussed with WCCOs workers and managers how, with the help of the Export-Import Bank, the near 60-year-old family-owned rubber supply company went from repairing shoes to repairing tarps for farm trucks, then to new seats for tractors, canvas belting, and wooden slats to providing rubber products used in farm equipment  like belts for harvesting grain or producing round bailers, or tube conveyers to move seed and grain  that is supplied to major farm equipment companies around the world today. And without the help of the Export-Import Bank 12 years ago, which made sure WCCO was paid for what it sells in a timely manner  WCCO wouldnt have been able to pursue export opportunities it had been ignoring  doubling its total revenue and workforce.\r\nHeitkamp has been leading the charge in the fight to save the Export-Import Bank in Congress, which has helped support $108 million in exports since 2007 from North Dakota alone, as well as 633 jobs and 23 businesses across the state. Heitkamp introduced a bipartisan bill with Republican Senator Mark Kirk from Illinois that has overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate and House of Representatives. Their bill passed in both chambers in separate legislation and they are working to include it in the compromise transportation bill Congress is negotiating.\r\nFor decades, the Export-Import Bank has bolstered homegrown success stories in North Dakota like Tom Shormas, who tells how his dad started this company, in the 1950s, and with the help of the Export-Import Bank 12 years ago, doubled WCCOs revenue and workforce, said Heitkamp. The Export-Import Bank helps make sure companies like Toms can compete internationally without risking going under  all at no cost to taxpayers. Without the help of the Bank, WCCO and many other local businesses will lose out. To prevent that from happening, we have strong, bipartisan momentum in Congress to pass my bipartisan bill to reauthorize this federal agency that supports American jobs, workers, and competitiveness. Now its time for Congress to do the right thing, take our bill across the finish line, and give businesses the certainty they need to thrive.\r\nFor the past 60 years, WCCO Belting, Inc. has been a strong North Dakota-based family business, said Thomas D. Shorma, CEO/President of WCCO Belting, Inc. in Wahpeton. With the help of the Export-Import Bank over the past 12 years, we have been able to expand exponentially  doubling our sales as well as our workforce to 200 employees, and shipping quality rubber belting products to some of the top agricultural manufacturers all over the world. For over a decade, the Export-Import Bank has protected WCCO Belting and small businesses like ours here at home by making sure we can get paid on time without going under  and without it we stand to lose 60 percent of our team. Senator Heitkamps bipartisan efforts to stand up for small businesses like ours have been critical to continuing to level the playing field for businesses so we can compete in the global market.\r\nThe Export-Import Bank is an independent federal government agency and the official export credit agency of the United States. For the past 81 years, the Export-Import Bank has helped North Dakota small businesses grow, expand, and hire more American workers, supporting $27 million in exports from North Dakota since 2012 by providing loans, loan guarantees, and insurance to facilitate overseas sales by U.S. firms. This is particularly helpful for small businesses like WCCO Belting, Inc. that wish to expand abroad, but would risk going under if they were not paid for their products in a timely fashion. Since 2012 alone, the Bank supported $27 million in sales from North Dakota companies. Heitkamps visit to WCCOs facilities continues her ongoing efforts to press to reauthorize the agency, and to hear directly from the companies in North Dakota that need to Export-Import Bank to grow. In June, Heitkamp took to the Senate floor to highlight the success of small businesses like WCCO Belting, Inc. and emphasize the direct impact on jobs and local economies of a robust Export-Import Bank.\r\nAt the end of June, Congress let the Export-Import Bank expire for the first time in its 81 year history, even though it had previously authorized the agency 16 times. Just last month, the bipartisan majority of the House of Representatives forced a vote on the House floor, and passed the Kirk-Heitkamp bipartisan bill to reauthorize the agency. The move follows 64 Senators voting to include Heitkamp and Republican Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois bill to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank as an amendment to the long-term transportation legislation which passed in the Senate at the end of July. Congress is currently negotiating a compromise long-term transportation bill, and Heitkamp is working to include her bill in the legislation. \r\n   ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=b2088f6f-87da-49bb-a3ae-b0938921e166"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.007462851703167, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}