[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 127 (Tuesday, July 20, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4982-S4983]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTION

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself, Mr. Toomey, Mr. Menendez, and Ms. 
        Collins):
  S. 2385. A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to eliminate the corn 
ethanol mandate for renewable fuel; to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President: I rise today to reintroduce bipartisan 
legislation. The ``Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act of 2021'' is 
cosponsored by Senators Pat Toomey, Bob Menendez, and Susan Collins and 
would end the corn ethanol mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard.
  The mandate requires annual increases in the amount of renewable fuel 
that must be blended into the total volume of gasoline refined and 
consumed in the United States.
  Our bill would amend the Renewable Fuel Standard to remove the volume 
requirements for corn ethanol while leaving in place the requirement 
that oil companies use low-carbon advanced bio fuels, including 
cellulosic biofuel and biodiesel.
  The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was initially included in the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005 and subsequently amended in 2007. The RFS 
sought to reduce our dependence on oil and increase production of 
biofuels for transportation. It requires gasoline and diesel producers 
to blend increasing volumes of renewable biofuels in their supply.
  The law includes separate volume requirements for four categories of 
biofuels: 1) unspecified (completely filled by corn ethanol, also 
called the ``corn ethanol mandate''); 2) advanced biofuels; 3) 
cellulosic biofuel; and 4) biodiesel.
  The EPA is authorized to reduce the required volumes if supply does 
not match the statutory volume. Every year since 2014, the total 
production of all ethanol exceeded the ``blend wall''--the amount of 
ethanol that can safely be blended into the fuel supply, which is about 
10% of gasoline. A blend beyond 10% ethanol can damage car engines.
  Unfortunately, rather than encourage the development of more advanced 
biofuels with lower carbon emissions, the RFS has resulted in a market 
flooded with ethanol, which has higher carbon emissions than other 
advanced biofuels.
  This year oil companies will be required to use 33 billion gallons of 
renewable fuel, and next year the requirement will increase to 36 
billion gallons of renewable fuel.
  The original law requires that an increasing portion of this mandate 
be met using low-carbon advanced biofuels that are not derived from 
corn starch and reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by at least 
50 percent.
  However, last year, 15 billion gallons of the statutory requirement 
was met using corn ethanol.
  The corn ethanol mandate is unwise and unworkable for several 
reasons.
  First, the corn ethanol mandate results in 40% of the U.S. corn crop 
being used for fuel and not food, nearly double the rate compared to 
before the RFS was passed. Ethanol production requires 38 million acres 
of land--an area larger than the state of Illinois--which could be used 
to feed 150 million people.
  We should prioritize our agriculture and land use toward feeding 
people and combating the climate crisis, not perpetuating it, 
particularly when severe drought threatens crops throughout the West.
  Second, the corn ethanol mandate has increased the price of corn and 
products made from corn, such as livestock feed. This has made it more 
expensive for families to put food on their table.
  Third, corn ethanol production achieves little to no reductions in 
greenhouse gas emissions over regular oil and poses other environmental 
risks, including deforestation, habitat destruction and diminished 
water quality or availability due to cropland expansion.
  Finally, as fuel economy standards and increased vehicle 
electrification drive down gasoline consumption, the RFS mandate 
exceeds the limit at which ethanol can be blended safely into the fuel 
supply--roughly 10% of total gasoline consumption.
  According to the Environmental Protection Agency's final 2013 rule 
establishing renewable fuel standards, the ``EPA does not foresee a 
scenario in which the market could consume enough ethanol . . . to meet 
the volumes . . . stated in the statute.''
  The Congressional Budget Office confirmed this judgment in a June 
2014 report, saying that the statutory goal of escalating corn ethanol 
volumes would be ``very hard to meet in future years.''
  The Corn Ethanol Mandate Elimination Act would make necessary fixes 
to the Renewable Fuel Standard, reducing our reliance on corn ethanol.
  Our bill would address the blend wall directly, thereby allowing EPA 
to continue increasing volumes of lowcarbon advanced biofuels.
  It would also maintain important provisions that encourage the 
development of low-carbon advanced biofuels, like cellulosic ethanol, 
algae-based fuel and biodiesel.
  This would increase the market for the innovative, nascent, domestic 
industry that this statute was designed to support.
  The Federal corn ethanol mandate no longer makes sense when better, 
lower-carbon alternatives exist. I urge my colleagues to join us in 
passing this important legislation to eliminate the corn ethanol 
mandate in the Renewable Fuel Standard.
  Thank you, Mr. President. I yield the floor.
                                 ______
                                 
      By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Wicker, Mr. 
        Cramer, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Young, Mr. Marshall, Mr. 
        Cruz, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Scott of Florida, and Mrs. 
        Hyde-Smith):
  S. 2395. A bill to require an annual feasibility report on 
cooperation between the National Guard and Taiwan, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Armed Services.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to print my bill for 
introduction in the Congressional Record. The bill's purpose is to 
require an annual feasibility report on cooperation between the 
National Guard and Taiwan, and for other purposes.

                                S. 2395

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

[[Page S4983]]

  


     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Taiwan Partnership Act''.

     SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of Congress that the United States should--
       (1) continue to support the development of capable, ready, 
     and modern defense forces necessary for Taiwan to maintain a 
     sufficient self-defense capability by increasing exchanges 
     between senior defense officials and general officers of the 
     United States and Taiwan at the strategic, policy, and 
     functional levels, consistent with the Taiwan Travel Act 
     (Public Law 115-135; 132 Stat. 341), especially for the 
     purposes of--
       (A) improving the interoperability of the military forces 
     of the United States and Taiwan;
       (B) improving the reserve force of Taiwan; and
       (C) expanding cooperation in humanitarian assistance and 
     disaster relief;
       (2) expand and strengthen Taiwan's capability to conduct 
     security activities, including traditional activities of the 
     combatant commands, cooperation with the National Guard, and 
     through multilateral activities; and
       (3) using appropriate authorities and consistent with the 
     Taiwan Relations Act (Public Law 96-8; 22 U.S.C. 3301 et 
     seq.), seek to develop a partnership between the National 
     Guard and Taiwan as a means of maintaining a sufficient self-
     defense capability.

     SEC. 3. ANNUAL FEASIBILITY REPORT ON COOPERATION BETWEEN THE 
                   NATIONAL GUARD AND TAIWAN.

       (a) In General.--Not later than February 15, 2022, an 
     annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
     the congressional defense committees (as defined in section 
     101 of title 10, United States Code) a report on the 
     feasibility and advisability of enhanced cooperation between 
     the National Guard and Taiwan.
       (b) Elements.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall 
     include the following:
       (1) A description of the cooperation between the National 
     Guard and Taiwan during the preceding calendar year, 
     including mutual visits, exercises, training, and equipment 
     opportunities.
       (2) An evaluation of the feasibility of enhancing 
     cooperation between the National Guard and Taiwan on a range 
     of activities, including--
       (A) disaster and emergency response;
       (B) cyber defense and communications security;
       (C) military medical cooperation;
       (D) Mandarin-language education and cultural exchange; and
       (E) programs for National Guard advisors to assist in 
     training the reserve components of the military forces of 
     Taiwan.
       (3) Recommendations to enhance such cooperation and improve 
     interoperability, including through familiarization visits, 
     cooperative training and exercises, and co-deployments.
       (4) Any other matter the Secretary of Defense considers 
     appropriate.

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