Members of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus spearheaded a letter Friday to House leadership requesting additional resources for the biofuels sector in the next piece of coronavirus relief legislation.
Representatives Collin C. Peterson (D-MN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Dave Loebsack, (D-IA) and Rodney Davis (R-IL), co-chairs of the Congressional Biofuels Caucus, led the letter with 31 members of Congress to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy.
“Biofuels production is a major piece of the rural economy in our districts, and we urge you to explicitly include much-needed assistance for the sector in the next piece of coronavirus relief legislation. For example, language requiring the Secretary to provide a per-gallon payment to producers for renewable fuels produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This mandate from Congress is necessary to ensure that the United States Department of Agriculture has the statutory authority they deem necessary to provide aid to the biofuels sector, and to guarantee assistance for the farmers and plant workers.”
The House passed Heroes Act includes language to provide a per-gallon payment to biofuels producers for fuel produced during the COVID-19 emergency. The bipartisan Biofuels Caucus supports the inclusion of this language in the next Coronavirus relief bill. After the Senate failed to find a way forward last week on the next coronavirus economic relief package, President Trump signed an executive order over the weekend taking action on economic relief and it is not clear yet what steps Senate leadership will take this week.