Washington, D.C. — Republican U.S. Senator Joni Ernst has joined fellow Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley in introducing the bipartisan and bicameral Next Generation Fuels Act, a proposal that aims to leverage higher-octane fuels to improve engine efficiency and performance. Allowing the sale of fuels with greater octane levels would increase the amount of ethanol that can be utilized in the fuel supply, in turn lowering prices at the pump for consumers.
Ernst called the proposal a “No brainer.” She says Iowans are getting crushed under sky-high prices at the pump, and America continues to depend on foreign countries for our energy, she says we should be turning to our own abundant domestic production right here in the U.S., including clean, homegrown biofuel. Ernst says this bipartisan legislation will move America closer to energy independence and away from relying on our adversaries, all while lowering costs for consumers and supporting our hardworking farmers and biofuel producers.
Senator Chuck Grassley says the Next Generation Fuels Act would gradually ramp up the use of homegrown ethanol at gas stations across the country, making Americans less reliant on foreign oil and less vulnerable to the anti-competitive tactics of OPEC. He says as we look to the future of liquid fuels, this legislation can play a critical role in restoring energy independence, saving consumers money, lowering carbon emissions and expanding the market for farmers and ethanol producers.
Joining Grassley and Ernst in introducing the Next Generation Fuels Act are Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.). Similar legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) and is cosponsored by all members of the Iowa congressional delegation, including Reps. Cindy Axne (D-Iowa), Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa), Ashley Hinson (R-Iowa) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa).
Locally, ethanol is produced at facilities in Ashton, Hartley and Sioux Center.
The full text of the bill is available HERE.
