Sensenbrenner Cosponsors Legislation To End Ethanol Mandates
Washington, DC,
Apr 30, 2008 -
Congressman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Menomonee Falls) is a cosponsor of HR 5911, the Remove Incentives to Produce Ethanol Act of 2008 (RIPE Act), introduced this week by Representative Jeff Flake of Arizona. This bill will repeal the legislative provisions responsible for the artificial demand for ethanol by:
- Repealing the renewable fuel standard;
- Repealing tax credits for ethanol producers;
- Repealing tariffs on importing ethanol.
“I have always been opposed to reformulated gasoline (RFG) because it doesn’t reduce the pollution it was supposed to, and in fact, increases other kinds of pollution,” said Sensenbrenner.
“Fuel mixed with ethanol is less efficient, and results in fewer miles per gallon for consumers,” Sensenbrenner continued. “Moreover, it’s extremely expensive, even in the Midwest, where although corn is abundant, the cost of converting it to ethanol, and the difficulties associated with transporting it, has made it more expensive than traditional gasoline. As a result, we are seeing dramatic price increases in corn, which is hitting families hard considering the prevalence of corn in food production and in animal feed.”
“The fact is, the ethanol industry has been subsidized for twenty-seven years and claims to still need the subsidies to survive,” Sensenbrenner added. “If an industry cannot survive without government support after twenty-seven years, there are more serious problems in place.”
“I cosponsored the Flake bill because I firmly believe that we need to eliminate this wasteful and expensive government hand-out, and focus on reducing the cost of fuel through investment in alternative and renewable sources of energy,” Sensenbrenner concluded.
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