U.S. Senator Joni Ernst called on Mar. 10 for the expansion of domestic markets and increased use of homegrown biofuels by making E15 available year-round during a Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing.
The issue is important because expanding access to E15, a higher ethanol blend fuel, could help keep gas prices affordable and create more demand for American agricultural products. Ernst said Congress “should be looking at every opportunity” to boost biofuel consumption, adding that “energy security is national security, and higher ethanol blends can help keep gas prices affordable here at home.”
During the hearing, Jed Bower, President of the National Corn Growers Association, agreed with Ernst’s position. “This is a prime time to bring that strength and domestic production up so we’re less reliant on all the foreign countries. It’s so much better. We grow a product here. We can produce it here.We can burn it here. It’s a perfect opportunity for the American farmer and the American people,” Bower said.
Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau Federation, also supported Ernst’s call for expanded E15 use by saying, “E15 is a no brainer. It’s a win, win, win. It’s a win for consumers. Win for the farmer.” Ernst continued her advocacy by urging federal agencies to work together on rules that recognize diverse farming practices and prioritize farmers’ interests.
Ernst’s bipartisan Ethanol for America Act aims to remove regulatory barriers so that E15 can be offered using existing infrastructure at gas stations nationwide. She has worked to secure permanent year-round E15 availability following an announcement earlier this year in Iowa.
According to the official website, Ernst operates as a senator from Iowa within the federal legislative branch and leads several committees including Small Business and Entrepreneurship as well as participating in Armed Services; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; and Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committees according to the official website. Her office provides constituent services such as casework assistance across Iowa according to the official website. In 2014 she became both Iowa’s first female U.S. senator and the first female combat veteran in that body according to the official website.
