Homegrown American Ethanol Promotes Economic and Energy Security

American fuel retailers, corn growers, ethanol producers and our families face unnecessary uncertainty year after year awaiting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s arbitrary, last-minute waivers to allow for the summertime sale of E15 at gas stations nationwide. This unpredictability raises gas prices for American families, prevents fuel retailers from consistently marketing low-cost, low-carbon E15, and threatens the livelihoods of corn growers and ethanol producers, not only in Iowa but across the Midwest. As is the case with many challenges facing our nation, it is incumbent upon Congress to end this waiver confusion and finally make E15 available at the gas pump 365 days a year—permanently. This permanency would grant our families, businesses and consumers more choices at the pump; fortunately, we have the exact policies in our legislative pipeline to achieve this goal and support homegrown American ethanol production.

Alongside my Midwestern colleagues, I proudly helped reintroduce—for the third time since being elected to Congress—the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2023. This legislation ends the need for irregular EPA fuel waivers and ensures that every family can permanently benefit—uninterrupted—from low-cost E15. Facing higher prices for everyday household goods, our families should have the option to fill up their tanks with affordable E15 no matter the time of year.

As I travel across Iowa’s 4th Congressional District on my biannual 36 County Tour, making E15 available year-round at the pump permanently is the top priority for our ethanol and corn industries. This policy is not only vital to our families and ethanol producers, but also paramount to the success of our mainstreet businesses and farm economy, because when our farmers and biofuels producers are successful, our economy is successful.

In the same legislative vein, I am also working with my colleagues to pass the Next Generation Fuels Act, which is another tool we can deploy to expand ethanol production, support American corn growers, and deliver relief at the pump for our families. As opposed to standard gasoline, ethanol enjoys a higher-octane rating—and this bill would promote increased ethanol blends in our nation’s fuel supply; in turn, lowering gas prices for consumers.

As a matter of policy, this legislative framework would phase in higher gasoline octane levels through the greater use of ethanol, laying the foundation for E25 blends for model year 2028 and E30 blends for model year 2033 and beyond. By increasing ethanol blending requirements in our nation’s fuel supply, American families will enjoy lower costs, our farmers will benefit from higher yields, our biofuels producers will restore American energy independence, and our fuel retailers will secure consistency and certainty.

Sound energy policy is critical to our national and economic security. Born and raised in rural Iowa, I have seen firsthand how ethanol—and its blended forms—have the unlimited potential to lower gas prices for our families, end our reliance on foreign oil, promote American energy dominance, and support our farm economy. On both the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee, I will continue to be a strong voice and unwavering advocate for American ethanol, E15 permanency, and the farmers and biofuels producers who power our economy and main streets.

Congressman Randy Feenstra represents Iowa’s 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Agriculture Committee.