BLAIR LEE III, Acting Governor

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the dollar, as well as provide the goods essential to the
aspirations for industrial development of many nations now
still underdeveloped.

The Export—Import Bank of the United States, created in
1945, is situated to finance increased exports from the
United States, having financed $8.6 billion in export
financing support in 1976 which generated nearly $12 billion
in United States export sales and generated approximately
500,000 jobs. The purpose of the Export-Import Bank Act of
1945 was to design an institution to overcome obstacles in
private market financing of United States exports.

The United States now has a trade deficit estimated on
the order of $25 billion, and an aggressive export drive is
needed; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the
United States Congress:

(1)    Enact a comprehensive and balanced energy program
based on advanced technologies. This should include high
technology utilization of existing fossil fuels, i.e.
magnetohydrodynamics for coal, completion of the fuel cycle
with fission, fast breeder and fuel reprocessing plants, and
upgrading the research effort in fusion energy development
as a long—term cheap and abundant energy resource;

(2)    Act in a timely fashion to recharter the
Export-Import Bank of the United States well ahead of its
September 1978 expiration, and facilitate its ability to
play a major role in American trade policy;

(3)    Expand the funding base total commitment
authority of the Export-Import Bank from its present $50 $25
billion level towards $200 $40 billion and view the
sponsorship of high—technology trade as the United States
"jobs" policy, with the estimate that such funding will
create 11 million high-skill jobs for American workers; and
be it further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be sent to the
Honorable Jimmy Carter, President of the United States, 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D. C. 20006; to the
Honorable James R. Schlesinger, Secretary of the Department
of Energy, Washington, D. C. 20545; to the Honorable James
O. Eastland, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Dirksen
Building, Washington, D. C. 20510; to the Honorable Thomas
P. O'Neill, Speaker of the House, Office of the Speaker,
Room H-204, the Capitol Building, Washington, D. C. 20510;
and that a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Maryland
Congressional Delegation: Senators Charles McC. Mathias, Jr.
and Paul S. Sarbanes, Senate Office Building, Washington,
D.C. 20510; and Representatives Robert E. Bauman, Clarence
D. Long, Barbara A. Mikulski, Marjorie S. Holt, Gladys N.
Spellman, Goodloe E. Byron, Parren J. Mitchell, and Newton