[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 37 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      INTRODUCTION OF THE RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD ELIMINATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BOB GOODLATTE

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 2, 2017

  Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
eliminate a well-intentioned, but deeply flawed, policy that has 
negatively impacted every family and business in the country. The 
policy I'm referring to is none other than the Renewable Fuel Standard 
(RFS), a mandate requiring that increasingly larger volumes of corn-
based ethanol be blended into our gasoline. The RFS mandates that 36 
billion gallons of renewable fuels be part of our nation's fuel supply 
by 2022.
  Since the implementation of the RFS, Americans have seen increased 
costs at the grocery store, larger bills on their restaurant receipts, 
and higher prices at the gas pump. Corn is used in 75 percent of the 
food we buy, yet a great deal of corn is now being diverted from food 
products and into the gasoline tank. It's no surprise that ethanol has 
caused instability in the corn market. As for fuel, ethanol-blended 
gasoline has a lower energy density than that of traditional gasoline; 
therefore, Americans are forced to buy more fuel to make up the 
difference. In fact, some studies show that drivers in the U.S. pay at 
least $10 billion more each year because of the RFS.
  Unfortunately, the high cost of the RFS is not limited to food and 
gasoline. Ethanol is known to be harmful to the small engines found in 
lawn mowers and leaf blowers and even motorcycles and all-terrain-
vehicles. As a result, owners of these devices are forced to spend more 
to repair the damage caused by the ethanol-infused gasoline that they 
were forced to buy.
  So, what benefits do Americans in your district and mine receive for 
all of these extra costs? There are certainly few benefits of an 
environmental nature. Environmental groups have expressed concerns 
about the impact of the RFS on the air we breathe and have stated that 
the conversion of high volumes of land into corn fields is detrimental 
to the environment. In fact, I can find no benefit to the hard working 
Americans who are paying the cost of the RFS.
  It is time for Congress to recognize that this policy has failed and 
remove this mandate from the backs of the American people. That is why 
I am introducing the Renewable Fuel Standard Elimination Act, which 
will totally eliminate the RFS. Washington has created this artificial 
demand for ethanol that is distorting the market, and it is our 
responsibility to provide relief from its unintended consequences. This 
legislation is a common sense solution to ensure that renewable fuels 
compete fairly in the marketplace and avoid causing unintended and 
negative consequences for American consumers, livestock farmers, and 
food manufacturers. I hope my colleagues will join me in working to 
reverse this policy by supporting this legislation in the 115th 
Congress.