The Satellite Industry Association (SIA) applauds the recent passage of legislation reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank). Following passage by both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, President Obama signed the reauthorization into law late last week. The legislation provides a long-term reauthorization for the Bank that will be in effect until September 30, 2019.

“SIA congratulates and applauds lawmakers for reauthorizing of the Ex-Im Bank,” said Tom Stroup, President of SIA. “With reauthorization, Ex-Im can once again provide the domestic commercial satellite industry with tools needed to better compete for global sales while supporting American jobs and U.S. technological innovation. American manufacturers have been the global leaders of the commercial satellite manufacturing market, winning 57 percent of orders placed in 2014. However, that competitive positon was threatened when the authorization expired earlier this year. The reauthorization of Ex-Im Bank helps ensure a level playing field for the U.S. satellite industry.”

About The Satellite Industry Association
SIA is a U.S.-based trade association providing representation of the leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch services providers, and ground equipment suppliers. Since its creation twenty years ago, SIA has advocated on behalf of the U.S. satellite industry on policy, regulatory, and legislative issues affecting the satellite business. For more information, visit www.sia.org.

SIA Executive Members include: The Boeing Company; The DIRECTV Group; EchoStar Corporation; Intelsat S.A.; Iridium Communications Inc.; Kratos Defense & Security Solutions; LightSquared; Lockheed Martin Corporation; Northrop Grumman Corporation; SES Americom, Inc.; Space Exploration Technologies Corp.; SSL; and ViaSat, Inc. SIA Associate Members nclude: ABS US Corp.; Airbus DS SatCom Government, Inc.; Artel, LLC; Cisco; Comtech EF Data Corp.; DRS Technologies, Inc.; Eutelsat America Corp.; Global Eagle Entertainment; Glowlink Communications Technology, Inc.; Hughes; iDirect Government Technologies; Inmarsat, Inc.; Kymeta Corporation; Marshall Communications Corporation.; MTN Government; O3b Limited; Orbital ATK; OneWeb; Panasonic Avionics Corporation; TeleCommunication Systems, Inc.; Telesat Canada; TrustComm, Inc.; Ultisat, Inc.; Vencore Inc.; and XTAR, LLC.