[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 10, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E416]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         INTRODUCTION OF RFS REFORM ACT AND RFS ELIMINATION ACT

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                           HON. BOB GOODLATTE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 10, 2013

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I have long been a critic of the 
renewable fuel standard and we must act now to fix this broken policy.
  While the livestock industry has been witnessing the effects of the 
RFS mandate for several years, the drought last year highlighted for 
many the extreme reach of the RFS throughout our economy. But even 
before the drought, by diverting feed stocks to fuel there have been 
diminished corn supplies for livestock and food producers. Tightening 
supplies have driven up the price of corn. The higher cost for corn is 
passed on to livestock and food producers. In turn, consumers see that 
price reflected in the price of food on the grocery store shelves and 
restaurants.
  This year, the U.S. is expected to hit the blend wall--where the 
ethanol mandate will require more ethanol be produced than can be 
safely blended into gasoline. In order to address the blend wall by 
reducing the RFS mandate, EPA is working to push E15. EPA has granted a 
partial waiver to allow E15 blends for model cars 2001 and newer, 
despite the fact that a study from the Coordinating Research Council, 
commissioned by U.S. automakers and oil companies, found that 25 
percent of cars approved by the EPA to run on E15 experienced engine 
damage--and even failure. The EPA should not be promoting fuel that is 
unsafe on the roadways just to meet a mandate.
  EPA administrators from both parties have constantly refused to use 
the flexibility granted to them by law to alter the RFS, so Congress 
must act. That is why I am introducing two bills that would alter this 
artificially created government market.
  The first bill, the Renewable Fuel Standard Elimination Act is 
simple; it would eliminate the RFS and make ethanol compete in a free 
market. The government should not be creating a market to sustain an 
entire industry. While, I believe that we should completely eliminate 
the RFS, I recognize that there may not yet be the political will in 
Congress to completely eliminate this mandate. And while there may not 
yet be the political will to eliminate this mandate we have to address 
the reality that we are being confronted and reform the broken RFS 
policy.
  That is why I have joined with several colleagues in introducing 
legislation to reform the RFS. The Renewable Fuel Standard Reform Act 
eliminates the corn based ethanol requirements and caps the amount of 
ethanol that can be blended into conventional gasoline at 10 percent--a 
level that is safe for all vehicle models. And this legislation will 
require the EPA to set cellulosic biofuels levels at production 
levels--oil and gas refiners should not be fined for not being able to 
blend products that do not exist.
  More than 40 diverse organizations are joining us to call for action 
to address the problems created by the RFS mandate. This is no longer 
just a debate about fuel or food. It is also a debate about jobs, small 
business, and economic growth. This mandate has wide reaching and 
negative impacts on a broad swath of industries. Congress created this 
artificial market that is distorting the food and feed market, and we 
must provide relief of its unintended consequences. I urge the Congress 
to pass this legislation.

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