[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 85 (Thursday, May 16, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S3757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 694--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF MAY 
2024 AS ``RENEWABLE FUELS MONTH'' TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT 
 RENEWABLE FUELS PLAY IN REDUCING CARBON IMPACTS, LOWERING FUEL PRICES 
FOR CONSUMERS, SUPPORTING RURAL COMMUNITIES, AND LESSENING RELIANCE ON 
                          FOREIGN ADVERSARIES

  Mr. RICKETTS (for himself, Mr. Brown, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Marshall, 
Mr. Thune, Ms. Ernst, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Moran, Ms. Smith, Mr. 
Grassley, Mrs. Fischer, and Mr. Rounds) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources:

                              S. Res. 694

       Whereas the United States is the largest producer of 
     biofuels in the world, which contributes to the domestic 
     economy, creates jobs, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions;
       Whereas ethanol is a renewable fuel made of biomass from 
     plant materials;
       Whereas, in 2023, more than 72,463 jobs in the United 
     States were directly associated with the ethanol industry, 
     with an additional 322,000 indirect and induced jobs 
     supported across all sectors of the economy;
       Whereas the ethanol industry created $32,500,000,000 in 
     household income and contributed more than $54,200,000,000 to 
     the gross domestic product of the United States;
       Whereas ethanol and feed co-product production provide a 
     valuable market for United States corn, as a typical dry mill 
     ethanol plant adds nearly $2 of additional value to every 
     bushel of corn processed;
       Whereas ethanol use reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 
     between 44 and 52 percent compared to gasoline, and, by 
     displacing hydrocarbon substances like aromatics in gasoline, 
     ethanol also helps reduce emissions of air toxins, 
     particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxides, and 
     exhaust hydrocarbons;
       Whereas, in 2023, ethanol played a vital role in bolstering 
     the energy independence of the United States by supplementing 
     nearly 525,000,000 barrels of crude oil;
       Whereas \1/3\ of every bushel processed by an ethanol plant 
     is used to make distillers grains, one of the most efficient 
     animal feeds available;
       Whereas biodiesel is a drop-in replacement for petroleum-
     based diesel fuel that is produced from renewable resources 
     such as recycled cooking oil, soybean oil, distillers corn 
     oil, canola oil, and animal fats;
       Whereas renewable diesel is an advanced biofuel, made from 
     the same feedstocks as biodiesel, that reduces greenhouse gas 
     emissions, while meeting the same standard specification for 
     diesel fuels as petroleum-based diesel;
       Whereas producing a total of 6,000,000,000 gallons of 
     biodiesel and renewable diesel would support 187,000 full-
     time equivalent jobs, with more than $8,800,000,000 in wages 
     and $61,600,000,000 in total economic impact;
       Whereas biodiesel and renewable diesel can be used in 
     existing diesel engines without modification and are 
     available throughout the United States;
       Whereas advanced biofuels like biodiesel and renewable 
     diesel reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent 
     compared to petroleum-based diesel;
       Whereas biodiesel emits up to 80 percent less particulate 
     matter than petroleum-based diesel, improving air quality and 
     health outcomes;
       Whereas the production of biodiesel and renewable diesel 
     adds to the total domestic fuel supply, reducing the price of 
     all diesel fuel at the pump;
       Whereas, without the renewable fuel standard helping to 
     drive production of biodiesel and renewable diesel, the value 
     of soybeans grown by farmers in the United States would 
     decrease by 8 percent;
       Whereas sustainable aviation fuel is made from renewable 
     biomass and waste resources and can deliver the performance 
     of petroleum-based jet fuel; and
       Whereas sustainable aviation fuel can be blended with 
     conventional jet fuel and the use of sustainable or blended 
     aviation fuel requires no infrastructure or equipment 
     changes: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of May 2024 as ``Renewable 
     Fuels Month''; and
       (2) recognizes--
       (A) the important role renewable fuels play in reducing the 
     carbon impact of the United States;
       (B) the ability of renewable fuels to lower fuel prices for 
     consumers;
       (C) the support to rural communities that renewable fuel 
     industries provide; and
       (D) the opportunity that the production of renewable fuels 
     provides to lessen the reliance of the United States on 
     foreign adversaries.

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