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Committee on Financial Services

United States House of Representatives

112th Congress: International Monetary Policy and Trade

Related: Press Releases | Hearings | Markups

Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy serves as ranking member of the subcommittee. 

The complete jourisdiction of the subcommittee includes:

(i) multilateral development lending institutions, including activities of the National Advisory Council on International Monetary and Financial Policies as related thereto, and monetary and financial developments as they relate to the activities and objectives of such institutions;
(ii) international trade, including but not limited to the activities of the Export-Import Bank;
(iii) the International Monetary Fund, its permanent and temporary agencies, and all matters related there to; and
(iv) international investment policies, both as they relate to United States investments for trade purposes by citizens of the United States and investments made by all foreign entities in the United States.

Accomplishments:

International Policies

The United States contributes nearly $1.5 billion annually to international financial institutions to fund international development programs. These funds are combined with the contributions of other donor countries to provide tens of billions of dollars in assistance in the form of grants, loans, and loan guarantees, to support economic development, education, healthcare, and other anti-poverty programs. The Financial Services Committee is responsible for oversight of U.S. policy in these international institutions, which include the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian and African Development Banks, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Committee Democrats have emphasized the importance of monetary and fiscal policies that promote low unemployment and solid wage growth along with manageable inflation. The Committee’s Democrats have also pointed to the need for a balanced and responsible fiscal policy that foregoes budget-busting tax cuts for a wealthy few, in favor of pro-growth investments in people and economic sectors.

Overseeing International Institutions

The Democratic Caucus of the Committee has actively promoted important reforms in international institutions. Democratic-led efforts include the landmark Enhanced Heavily-Indebted Poor Country Initiative, which provides billions of dollars in debt forgiveness to the world’s poorest countries. The Democratic Caucus has also actively sought important reforms at the two largest international financial institutions, the IMF and the World Bank, aimed at providing greater transparency within the institutions, more interaction with civil society, and a greater degree of focus in the missions of the two institutions. Committee Democrats will continue to seek policies and programs within the international financial institutions that are aimed at reducing poverty, promoting the health and well-being of poor people, and contributing to economic growth and stability globally.

Recently Committee Democrats passed H.R. 4573, the Debt Relief for Earthquake Recovery in Haiti Act introduced by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) to Cancel Haiti’s Debt. The Bill requires the Secretary of the Treasury to instruct the U.S. Executive Directors at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and other multilateral development institutions to use the voice, vote, and influence of the United States to cancel immediately and completely all debts owed by Haiti to these institutions; suspend Haiti’s debt service payments to the institutions until such time as the debts are canceled completely; and provide additional assistance to Haiti in the form of grants so that Haiti does not accumulate additional debts.

 

 

Committee on Financial Services  •  B301C Rayburn House Office Building  •  Washington, DC 20515  •  (202) 225-4247