[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 9, 2005)]
[House]
[Page H10044]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RENEWABLE DOMESTIC FUELS

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, in July of this year, the President 
signed into law the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which enacted the first-
ever renewable fuel standard in order for a portion of our Nation's 
fuel supply to be provided by renewable domestic fuels like ethanol 
from corn and biodiesel made from soybeans. This provision is an 
example of public policy that is moving in the right direction. For 
example, E-85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol fuel, is becoming more and 
more available in the Midwest and it costs less at the pump. Just this 
week in my southern Illinois district, E-85 was on average 22 cents 
cheaper than regular gasoline at the pump. In some cases, E-85 stayed 
below $2 per gallon.
  The expanded use of renewable fuels like E-85 helps stretch domestic 
oil supply and decrease our reliance on foreign imports of oil. As we 
all know, no crude oil refineries have been built in the United States 
since 1976. During that time, close to 100 ethanol refineries have been 
built. It is my hope that this growth continues to happen. Renewable 
fuels are an environmentally friendly, domestic alternative fuel source 
that we can utilize to increase U.S. supply and decrease our reliance 
on foreign imports of oil.

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