House votes on appropriations bill without E15

The House today is considering a consolidated appropriations bill without a measure to allow the sale of E15 gasoline nationwide and year round. 

The House adopted a single rule for H.R. 7147 — the Homeland Security Appropriations Act — and H.R. 7148 — the Consolidated Appropriations Act covering several agencies — by a vote of 214 to 213, and is expected to vote on final passage this afternoon. 

All 214 Republicans voted for the rule and the 213 Democrats voted against it. Four Republicans including House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., did not vote. 

If the bills pass this afternoon, the Senate is expected to consider them next week. The current continuing resolution expires Friday, Jan. 30. 

Punchbowl News reported that the House Republican leadership had set up a rural energy council to be chaired by Reps. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, and Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla. “to dig into E15issue and negotiate acceptable language” by Feb. 25.

“Bice’s Oklahoma has a lot of oil and gas. Feenstra’s Iowa has E15 interests,” Punchbowl News added.

Several House Agriculture Committee Democrats criticized the lack of action on X.

In response to this development, Ohio farmer and National Corn Growers Association President Jed Bower said in a news release, “Corn growers are disgusted, disappointed and disillusioned that after spending years of calling for passage of E15, Congress has again punted, and it has done so in a spectacularly weak and offensive way.”

“Bizarrely, members of Congress are now planning to establish a rural energy council to explore this legislation as if we are in the beginning stages of discussing E15. We already have a bill. We already have an agreement with the petroleum industry after months of negotiation.

“But instead of acting, Congress is now suggesting a process-ridden task force that kicks the can down the road once again. Congress is choosing to leave America’s 500,000 corn farmers behind in favor of a handful of refineries,” Bower said.

Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Geoff Cooper said, “We are extremely disappointed that Congress appears to have failed again in adopting a simple technical fix that would have made lower-cost, American-made E15 available to consumers nationwide all year long.”

“Allowing year-round E15 would have provided a lifeline to farmers who are facing the worst economic crisis in almost 50 years, while also helping American families struggling with higher energy bills.

“We already have a compromise deal that is broadly supported by ethanol producers, farmers, large oil refiners, several small oil refiners, fuel retailers, and many other stakeholders, but lawmakers appear to be letting it slip away.

“The current appropriations process was undoubtedly Congress’ best opportunity to open a critical new market for hard-hit farmers and deliver lower gas prices to American families. It is unfathomable to us that just a handful of mid-sized oil refiners, including foreign-owned companies, were apparently able to blow the whole thing up,” Cooper said.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor said, “Congress picked foreign refiners over American farmers and drivers today. What a travesty.”

“E15 delivers cost savings for consumers and generates long-term demand for American agriculture. These have been the facts during the twelve-year-long debate over the simple act of allowing consumers the choice to buy a better value fuel year-round.

“Failure to act will now lead to farmers missing out on a critical market during the worst farm crisis in 40 years. Consumers will also miss out on access to more affordable fuel choices. Instead of supporting farmers and affordability, Congress appears to have prioritized the demands of a few well-capitalized foreign refiners that plead poverty with lawmakers while boasting financial success with investors. 

“This council must deliver a solution for year-round E15. It’s imperative that leaders in Congress focus their energies on getting this over the finish line in an expedited timeline,” Skor said.