E15 Legislation Exposes the Joy and Frustrations of Advocacy Work

The May Ears in Washington update from National Corn Growers Association

By Lesly McNitt

Working on policy issues in Washington can be rewarding, but often there is a form of delayed gratification. There are all types of competing interests that must be addressed to get legislation across the finish line and signed into law. Even widely popular bills can take years to pass, a problem that has been compounded by an increasingly divided capital city.

I was reminded over the last several weeks of the exhilaration, disappointment and pure anxiety that comes with advocacy work. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Farm, Food, and National Security Act (H.R. 7567), its version of an updated Farm Bill.

NCGA has been working to shape and pass the new Farm Bill for years, including growers testifying at field hearings and in D.C. since at least 2022. While the budget reconciliation bill last year provided many key priorities, the full Farm Bill needs to be completed this year - almost three years after it originally expired. Our work now turns to the U.S. Senate, as we encourage a bipartisan product to advance.

While the Farm Bill momentum was a positive step, the House also punted a vote on legislation that would expand consumer access to higher blends of ethanol. We have worked for years trying to secure passage of legislation that would allow for the year-round sale of fuels with 15% ethanol blends, referred to as E15.

The legislation, H.R. 1346, entitled the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, enjoys the support from corn grower allies across the political aisle in Congress. The legislation offers something for everyone. Expanding access to ethanol would increase corn demand, helping growers as well as the rural communities in which they live. This bill strengthens American energy independence and dominance. And it would help lower gas prices as fuel costs continue to climb.

Yet, like most bills, this legislation is analogous to a Rubik's cube. Right when you think all the colors are lined up, you look to the side and find that you have more work to do. In our case, we have some members of Congress who wrongly think E15 is a mandate. In fact, it eliminates burdensome restrictions.

Another complication we've run into is greed. A small group of million- and billon-dollar oil companies are masquerading as small refineries to obtain exemptions to the nation's Renewable Fuel Standard's ethanol blending requirements. Simply put: this legislation would close that loophole, and they don't like it. So as the nation's corn growers and many drivers struggle with an unaffordable cost of living, a small handful of corporations want to continue exploiting a loophole to pad their profits.

Despite all these efforts to derail E15 legislation, corn grower leaders have worked hard, pounding the pavement on Capitol Hill, knocking on the doors of hundreds of House members, meeting with those who need more information on our bill and weighing in at the grassroots level with elected officials. We have engaged the media as a vehicle for reaching policymakers. And, as a result, we will have a vote on H.R. 1346 this month.

Yet, there is still a lot of work to do. We have come close to passing E15 legislation before, only to find that some special interest group or a procedural maneuver has thwarted our efforts. So, we are spending our time engaging in an extremely aggressive outreach effort. Calling undecided representatives, holding press conferences and launching campaigns that will reach members of Congress.

It's no doubt a race to the finish with the opposition on our heels. But we are dedicated to getting this passed in the House and Senate and then signed into law. NCGA will keep fighting for opportunities to increase market demand for corn growers.

Even as we face a tough playing field, we are going to show Washington that corn growers are up for the challenge.

McNitt is the vice president of public policy at the National Corn Growers Association.