WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined fellow members of the Senate Agriculture Committee Sens. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) today to reintroduce the Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. The legislation would allow the year-round, nationwide sale of ethanol blends higher than 10% — ending years of regulatory uncertainty and preventing a patchwork of uneven state regulations. Increasing the availability of biofuels like E15 would benefit the economy and the environment.

Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) are also cosponsors. Reps. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

“E15 eases the cost for American consumers at the pump and is a valuable source of renewable energy. Allowing year-round sales of E15 just makes sense, both financially and environmentally,” Grassley said. “This bill is welcome news for drivers and farmers across the country, especially those in Iowa, the nation’s leading biofuel producer.”

“Our bipartisan legislation is the only permanent, nationwide solution to unleashing the power of year-round E15. It’s why we’ve been able to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders from the oil/gas, biofuel, ag, and transportation sectors to support our legislation,” Fischer said. “Negating the need for a patchwork of regulations will ensure all Americans can enjoy lower costs at the pump. With this unique coalition of support, I’m more optimistic than ever that we can make year-round E15 a reality.”

“I have long pushed to make E15 available year-round because investing in affordable, readily-available biofuels produced in the U.S. is good for drivers and farmers alike,” Klobuchar said. “By ensuring consumers can access E15 gasoline throughout the year, our bipartisan legislation will benefit our economy, decrease prices at the pump, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. It’s critical that we diversify our fuel supply and invest in affordable energy solutions. I look forward to working with Senator Fischer to pass this bipartisan bill.”

The Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2023 has support from a wide mix of stakeholders, including the National Corn Growers Association, National Farmers Union, the America Farm Bureau Federation, Renewable Fuels Association, Growth Energy, American Coalition for Ethanol, the American Petroleum Institute, SIGMA, National Association of Truck Stop Operators and National Association of Convenience Stores.   

A summary of the bill is available HERE and the full text of the bill is available HERE.

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