[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 76 (Thursday, April 30, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2143-S2144]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               FARM BILL

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, my last point that I would like to make 
this morning is to take a minute to discuss what is going on in the 
other body. So I take a little while here now to thank Iowa Members of 
the House of Representatives--Congressman Feenstra, Congressman Nunn, 
and Congresswomen Hinson and Miller-Meeks--for their very good efforts, 
fighting for Iowa farmers during the farm bill negotiations in the 
House of Representatives; and part of that discussion involved the 
biofuel issue of E15.
  E15 is a top priority for not only Iowans but for people generally in 
the Midwest, where we have abundant corn crops that make the ethanol 
that ends up being E15.
  E15 will expand markets for farmers, help consumers at the pump, and, 
according to the economists for the Iowa Corn Growers, add $14 billion 
to an already hurting ag economy--and when I say ``already,'' already 
for the last 3 or 4 years.
  Now, E15 is a no-brainer that is supported by President Trump. In 
fact, when President Trump visited Iowa in early March, he said he 
would like to have Congress present an E15 bill to him to sign.
  So I hope the leadership of the House of Representatives keeps its 
word to get E15 a floor vote and do that in very short order.
  In fact, I don't really know what all the problem is about E15, 
because by Presidential waiver, we have had E15 the last 2 years of 
Trump 1, 4 years of the Biden administration, and now 2 years in this 
Trump administration; and I have never heard any controversy about 
that.
  Then, secondly, we have had the Governors of eight Midwestern States 
petition the EPA for E15 year-round and throughout all those eight 
States; and I have never heard any controversy about that.
  But when we want to pass legislation that would avoid a Presidential 
waiver and allocate E15 in the other 42 States

[[Page S2144]]

that don't have it year-round, all of a sudden, it becomes quite a 
controversial issue, something I just don't understand.
  I think it is the case that now we are having some legislation to 
bring certainty to the issue of E15, and it is going to make it 
possible for retailers to invest in the very expensive pumps that it 
takes to distribute E15, and that certainty is very necessary for that 
investment. But, all of a sudden, it becomes a very controversial 
issue, where it has not been a controversial issue by Presidential 
waiver or by those eight State Governors petitioning EPA to have it in 
those States.
  It ought to be done now and help American agriculture and reduce the 
price of gasoline tremendously through E15.
  Now, I hear from some States that don't have E15 that their people 
don't want it because it is going to raise the price of gasoline.
  Come to Iowa. Come to other Midwestern States where we have E15 year-
round, and you will find the gasoline that has ethanol with a 15-
percent mixture cheaper than any other grade of gas that you can buy.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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