Gillibrand Demands Answers On Trump Administration Plan To Shutter New York Export-Import Bank Office

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand demanded answers from the Trump administration regarding its planned closure of the New York regional office of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM). The office helps businesses in 10 states – including New York – expand into overseas markets and finance their export activity, helping to maintain the state’s status as a major hub of global trade. “New York’s small business owners are being crushed under the weight of the Trump Tariff Tax and rising costs from the war in Iran, and they need assistance now more than ever,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Closing the New York regional office of the Export-Import Bank would jeopardize the support that business owners in our state need to compete internationally. It would also threaten the jobs of those who work every day to provide that support and keep New York’s economy moving. This is unacceptable, and I am calling for immediate answers from this administration.” In a letter to EXIM President and Chairman John Jovanovic, Senator Gillibrand expressed concern about the proposed closure and its potential impact on small and medium-sized businesses in New York. She noted that business owners could lose timely access to federal assistance and crucial financial support as they look to increase their international presence. In a series of questions, Senator Gillibrand demanded that EXIM explain its rationale for the closure, any consideration of alternatives, and the effect that this move could have on both EXIM’s workforce and New York’s business landscape. She wrote, “If enacted, the present plan would hinder EXIM’s visibility, accessibility, and responsiveness to small and medium-sized enterprises looking to expand to overseas markets, as well as businesses that are reliant on export financing support to compete internationally. Furthermore, the proposed office closure would be a disservice to local financial institutions, chambers of commerce, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) resource partners, and other organizations that have worked with EXIM on countless business expansions and deals through the years.” Senator Gillibrand further warned that the closure could cost good union jobs. Mandating that New York-based staff relocate to Washington, DC, as planned, threatens to force out EXIM employees with years of institutional knowledge and deep stakeholder relationships. Gillibrand requested that the office be kept open or that staff be allowed to work remotely to mitigate impacts to these employees and to ensure that they can continue site visits, presentations, and other in-person engagements at a high frequency. She continued, “Should the regional office close, EXIM could lose long-term employees with a history of strong work performance, institutional knowledge, and expertise, which would ultimately harm businesses in New York and the Northeast region. Moreover, your plan disproportionately impacts employees in union leadership roles since New York serves as the duty station for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), AFL-CIO Local 2211 unit. This is especially troubling in light of previous attempts by EXIM to undermine AFGE’s representation of union members who worked at the New York regional office during the first Trump administration.” The full text of the letter can be found here . ###